KIEV, March 24. /TASS/. A solution to the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine’s Donbass region can be achieved via a broad debate with the country’s people, Ukrainian opposition politician Yuri Boyko told the 112 Ukraine TV channel.
"We need a clear and honest dialogue with the society. We need to tell the people: here are the negotiations that we are conducting, here’s the degree of compromise that we suggest, here are the consequences of not doing this. Tell your ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on that. That’s how the people’s support should be gained," said Boyko, a presidential candidate and the founder of the Opposition Platform - For Life party.
"Yes, we don’t have a law on referendum, but, nevertheless, those issues must be brought up for a public discussion," he went on.
The opposition candidate said the Donbass issue can be solved only through reconciliation. According to him, the opposition’s close study of similar conflicts worldwide proves that there was no alternative to negotiations.
"There is no alternative to reconciliation; at least I see none. There is no military option, no one is going to resort to military actions, but the present-day situation must be settled. We need to tell the people frankly: ‘The situation is like this, and we need to make a decision,’" Boyko went on.
"The dialogue with those unrecognized republics [Donetsk and Lugansk] should be conducted with Russia’s guarantees," he added. "The Minsk protocol can serve as a roadmap for those talks, because it was recognized as a roadmap by the UN Security Council."
At the same time, he said that the Minsk agreements "require some modernization.".