Kharkiv region governor decides to run for Ukrainian presidency

“I made a difficult decision: I will run for the presidency at the next election,” Dobkin told journalists in Kharkiv on Monday. 

“Given the fact that the rights of Russian speaking people are suppressed, laws that pose a threat to those who do not take fascism and nationalism are adopted today and proceeding from the fact that one calls to destroy without trial many people who have view that differ from the opinion of the authorities, I made a decision to run for the presidency at the next election,” Dobkin told journalists in Kharkiv on Monday.

“This is a final decision,” he said.

Dobkin, however, did not specify whether he will run for the presidency as an independent candidate or from the Party of Regions party.

“I will hold negotiations with all politicians and political parties that share my point of view and who are ready to support me in this difficult decision, and I have yet to make a final decision,” he said.

Dobkin has been Kharkiv region governor since 2010. He is the chairman of the Kharkiv regional branch of the Party of Regions. He spoke against protesters in Kyiv and supported the federalization of Ukraine.

It was reported earlier that the Ukrainian parliament made a decision on February 22 to oust Prescient Viktor Yanukovych and hold the extraordinary presidential election on May 25, 2014.