13:50 01.04.2019

Zelensky campaign to pursue same tactics for 2nd round of presidential election in Ukraine - adviser

2 min read

A decision on candidates for Ukrainian prime minister will depend on the results of the upcoming parliamentary elections, and so it is too early to discuss the matter at present, Dmytro Razumkov, a political consultant and adviser for presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky's campaign staff, said on Monday.

"What premier can we talk about today if premiership is basically a matter of a coalition agreement and a coalition at the Verkhovna Rada?" Razumkov said at a news briefing at Zelensky's campaign staff headquarters in Kyiv on Monday.

In commenting on parliamentarian Mustafa Nayem's allegation that the campaign staffs of Zelensky and Batkivschyna party leader Yulia Tymoshenko were holding negotiations on the matter, Razumkov said, "Nobody is bargaining with anyone, or counting their chickens before they've hatched, or arranging some behind-the-scenes negotiations and underhand dealings, and this has been Zelensky's position since the start of the election campaign," he said.

Tymoshenko has also said there have been no negotiations and agreements on the matter, he said.

"With all due respect, Yulia Volodymyrivna [Tymoshenko] is lacking bayonets [at parliament], and I believe the People's Servant party will appear at the parliament at full strength only in the fall," he said.

Zelensky's staff and team are not planning to change their tactics and strategy for the second round of the election and are not going to relax after having performed well in the first round, Razumkov said.

"Zelensky's campaign is being held under the motto 'How to become president but remain a human being.' This is perhaps the most open and transparent election campaign in Ukraine's history," he said.

Nobody in Zelensky's staff is slacking and everyone will be preparing properly for the second round, he said.

"We will keep behaving the same way, without slinging mud at our opponents, pinning labels on anyone, or insulting voters who supported this or that candidate," Razumkov said.

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