Elder Klitschko to take another shot at Kyiv mayor
WBC heavyweight champion and leader of the UDAR political party, Vitaly Klitschko, has announced his intention to have another shot at running for mayor of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.
“I have repeatedly said that Kyiv can’t exist separately from events that occur in the country,” Klitschko told Russia’s Channel 5. “I’ll participate in the Kyiv election, and our party, UDAR, will also take part in parliamentary elections. I’ll defend the interests of all Kyiv residents as well as people from each region of Ukraine.”
The parliamentary elections will coincide with the municipal poll this autumn. And the 40-year-old boxer/politician expressed confidence that his party would succeed on both fronts.
“We will win those and the other elections,” he said. “We’ll be represented in the parliament, where we’ll work hard and I am confident that we’ll have a majority together with the opposition. I am confident that the reform process in the country must begin from Kyiv. Kyiv is the pasteboard of the country. Kyiv is a litmus test.”
The elder of the two Klitschko brothers has run for mayor on two previous occasions, finishing second in the 2006 vote and being among the runners-up in 2008.
Fortunately, the Ukrainian’s sporting career has been more successful. Dr. Ironfist has just defended his WBC belt from Dereck Chisora of Great Britain and once again denied rumors that he plans to quit boxing.