Roman Bezsmertnyi who has been a well-known politician and party activist since the Orange Revolution is one of potential presidential candidates in Ukraine.
Bezsmertnyi actively conducts media campaign and promotes his messages in order to increase his visibility. He also started establishing analytical groups and small headquarters in several regional centres. The politician forms his core team on the basis of ex-members of the Agrarian Party and the Our Ukraine. In financing his activities, Bezsmertnyi may rely both on own resources and donations by agrarian companies. At the same time, he also seeks to gain financial and TV support from oligarchs, though his success in this is yet to come.
Roman Bezsmertnyi appears to head into elections with a key idea – constitutional refro which provides for elimining dualism in executive branch by means of restricting presidential powers. Bezsmertnyi is likely to consider that key political stakeholders will embrace this idea.
The politician has not officially announced his participation in the presidential campaign, though an analysis of his media messages shows that he is keen to run for presidency. In particular, Bezsmertnyi repeatedly claimed that he “is tired of giving cartridges to persons who cannot shoot”.
During his long political career, Bezsmertnyi has been MP for four convocations, Deputy Prime Minister for administrative and territorial reform, the party leader, deputy head of presidential secretariat, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Belarus, Ukraine’s representative to the political subgroup of the Trilateral Contact Group.
Thus, it is obvious that he wants to build an independent political career. Macron’s victory in French presidential election fascinated many Ukrainian politicians who believe that they can replicate his success in the presidential campaign next year. Roman Bezsmertnyi belongs to such enthusiasts who regard the presidential election as his own political start ahead of the next parliamentary election.