Leader of the Svoboda faction in Ukraine's parliament Oleh Tiahnybok does not rule out his participation in the election of Kyiv mayor if UDAR faction Leader Vitali Klitschko refuses to run.
“We (the opposition forces) are holding the consultations. Indeed, we have appealed to Vitali Klitschko, who currently has the highest rating among the three of us if we take the leaders of the factions, and can run for the post of Kyiv mayor and win. And, of course, the Svoboda can nominate its candidates [Andriy] Illenko, for example. Finally, I can run, if there is such political need. But of course, if Klitschko says: I will, then together with the Batkivschyna we are working for his candidacy,” he said in an interview with the Ukrainian service of Radio Liberty.
Tiahnybok recalled that on March 6, the Verkhovna Rada Committee on State Building and Local Government approved a resolution that the elections of Kyiv mayor and Kyiv city council members should be held simultaneously on June 2, 2013,. “This decision was unanimous, even representatives of the Party of Regions voted,” he said.
As reported, on February 21, 2013, members of the Batkivschyna and Svoboda parliamentary factions wrote a joint address to Klitschko asking him to decide by March 1 whether he would run for Kyiv mayor.
Klitschko, however, said he hasn’t been consulted on this matter and promised to present his position towards the Kyiv mayor election and his participation in them soon.
