Ukrainian Authorities, with EU Support, Continued Consultations with Partners in Austria and the Czech Republic on Institutional Preparedness and Engagement of Citizens Abroad
A delegation of the Central Election Commission of Ukraine (CEC), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), and with the participation of representatives of Ukrainian embassies, carried out consultative visits to Austria and the Czech Republic on 5-10 February 2026. The visits focused on legal, administrative, security and logistical aspects relevant to the organisation of out-of-country voting (OCV) in the context of Ukraine’s future post-war elections, as well as cooperation with host-country authorities and engagement with Ukrainian communities abroad.
The programme was organised within the EU-funded project INSPIRE UA – Inclusive Support for Participation, Involvement, Representation, and Engagement of Ukrainians Abroad, implemented by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) from August 2025 to August 2026. The project aims to strengthen the capacity of Ukraine’s democratic institutions and ensure their integrity, transparency and resilience in the post-war period. Its design is based on the Roadmap on Functioning of Democratic Institutions, in particular the section on “Fair and free elections”, adopted by the Government of Ukraine in May 2025 as part of the country’s EU accession commitments.
In Vienna, the Ukrainian delegation held consultations at the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs, the Federal Ministry of the Interior, the Vienna Provincial Office for State Protection and Counter-Extremism, Directorate for State Protection and Intelligence Service, and with representatives of major Austrian municipalities, including Vienna, Linz and Graz. Discussions addressed Austria’s institutional framework for elections, including postal voting and arrangements for Austrian citizens abroad, as well as the legal and administrative conditions applicable to the organisation of voting by third countries on Austrian territory. The programme also included consultations with representatives of the Embassies of Romania, Croatia and Moldova in Vienna, providing comparative insights into the practical organisation of out-of-country voting, including voter registration, premises selection, staffing, communication with diaspora communities and cooperation with Austrian authorities.
In Prague, the delegation met with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Czech Statistical Office, the Ministry of the Interior, representatives of civil society and analytical centres, and the leadership of the City of Prague. Consultations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs addressed the legal framework and institutional roles relevant to organising voting abroad, including existing restrictions concerning electoral activities outside diplomatic premises, and the coordination role of the MFA in this context. Czech counterparts outlined a practical approach that could help address these limitations, namely the establishment of temporary consular offices in selected regions, which would allow voting to take place within a diplomatic framework while expanding geographical accessibility for a large number of Ukrainian citizens residing in the Czech Republic when the time comes. The Czech Statistical Office provided an overview of statistical data concerning Ukrainian citizens residing in the Czech Republic, and discussed the potential use and limitations of such data for electoral planning. At the Ministry of the Interior, discussions focused on the institutional system governing elections, inter-agency coordination, legal and administrative conditions for hosting voting by third countries, and security considerations. The delegation also met with the Mayor of Prague and city officials responsible for security and crisis management to discuss coordination mechanisms, public order, emergency response and accessibility in urban settings when hosting events involving foreign nationals.
A dedicated meetings with the Ukrainian community in Vienna and Prague allowed for an exchange on participation challenges, venue options, staffing needs, communication channels and cooperation with authorities in preparation for future post-war electoral processes.
The consultative visits to Austria and the Czech Republic further strengthened institutional dialogue, enhanced mutual understanding of legal and operational requirements for out-of-country voting, and contributed to building practical partnerships with EU Member States. They also provided important insights into the scale and distribution of Ukrainian communities abroad and into coordination models that may inform further planning.
These visits form part of a broader EU-supported engagement under INSPIRE UA, through which Ukrainian stakeholders consult with counterparts in at least 10 EU Member States to assess legal, logistical and security conditions for participation of Ukrainians abroad, negotiate host-country arrangements, and consult diaspora communities. The project will also deliver a comprehensive report with best practices and recommendations in July 2026 to support further policy dialogue.
For further details, please contact:
Lesia Nechyporenko (l.nechyporenko@idea.int, +38 068 128 0044)