The draft law leaves open a number of procedural questions which need to be clarified. To start with, it is not clear what triggers the whole assessment process and which body will raise the question whether an election or referendum can be held in certain places. Is it the CEC or the security body such as the NSDC, or even the civil-military administrations which may be closer to the ground? The draft amendments do not give a clear answer to those questions. They provide that the CEC, if necessary, shall request the NSDC to decide on the possibility to ensure the preparation and conduct of elections and referendums in certain territories, but it is uncertain whether this is meant to be an exhaustive regulation of the launch of proceedings. Moreover, the exact meaning of the term “if necessary” in this context is unclear, and the question arises how the NSDC should handle any request made to it by the CEC and whether it would be obliged to start the assessment process. As a key principle in line with national and international obligations, the draft law could explicitly affirm that the holding of elections/voting on the whole of the government-controlled territory is the default, and that no decision needs to be sought or made to allow for the holding of elections/voting in certain territories.