Experts: Elections to Rada is audition of candidates ahead future presidential elections

Ukrainian experts agree that the forthcoming parliamentary elections could be thought of as an audition of future candidates for the presidential elections.

"These elections will partially influence on the future of Ukrainian politics. In fact, the main functions of these elections are to be primaries and auditions of candidates for the forthcoming presidential elections," Director of Penta Center for Applied Political Studies Volodymyr Fesenko said at a press conference in Kyiv on Friday.

According to him, there is no use in expecting any considerable changes to occur in the political arena of Ukraine after the parliamentary elections.

Moreover, according to him, UDAR Party of Vitali Klitschko after entering the parliament will not unite with the united opposition.

"There will be no unification of Klitschko with the opposition, and no fraction will be created. There will be no unification of the political forces, but cooperation, probably partnership relations," the political expert said.

He also said that for Klitschko "it will be very important to retain political independence, political autonomy. It's in his interests, as one of the favorites in the future presidential elections."

Head of the Ukrainian Policy Institute Kostiantyn Bondarenko agrees with Fesenko. According to him, the future Verkhovna Rada will not be party restructured, as this issue is not even on the agenda.

"The main issue of these elections is who will be the main competitor of Viktor Yanukovych [Ukrainian president] in 2015 [at the president's elections]. For one the political group there is a question - who could defeat Viktor Yanukovych in 2015, for another - who will be the most convenient competitor in the second round," he said.