Updated 1:16 p.m. Moscow Time
KIEV, September 14 (RIA Novosti) -The Ukrainian Party of Regions is not planning to take part in the elections to the country's parliament, Verkhovna Rada, scheduled for October 26, the Ukrainian Party of Regions deputy Mykhailo Chechetov told RIA Novosti.
"The Party of Regions made a decision not to participate in the elections. That is why if the elections will still take place and Donbas will not vote, than, in the given circumstances we will be saying that the level of legitimacy [of the elections] does not meet the people's expectations," Chechetov said.
On August 27, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed a decree, dissolving the country's parliament and setting new elections for October 26.
Following his election on May 25 Poroshenko has repeatedly highlighted the need to hold early parliamentary elections, saying the current composition fails to represent the interests of Ukrainian society.
According to Ukraine's Central Election Commission, one billion hryvnias ($72.2 million) is planned to be spent on parliamentary elections in the country.