Transition to attack: why Klitschko reminded Zelensky decentralization and old conflicts
In particular, during a conversation with the authoritative German edition of Der Spiegel, Klitschko said that there is only one independent institute in Ukraine - local self -government, but he has huge pressure from the central government. "At some point, we will stop different from Russia, where it all depends on one person's whim," the mayor said.
Already during a conversation with journalists of the Swiss edition, 20 minuten he noted that the president plays an important role today, and we must support him until the end of the war. But at the end of this war, every politician will pay for his success or failure. At the same time Klitschko denied that he has his own presidential ambitions. It should be noted that 20 minuten is a popular tabloid that spreads for free at transport units, including railway stations.
Vitaliy Klitschko has a long -standing conflict with Zelensky's team. Focus has already said that he had acquired a new impulse in June 2023, when rumors began to spread in the media that politics wanted to replace with Vitaliy Kim as head of the Kyiv City State Administration. Subsequently, the scandal in itself, Klitschko was engaged in urban activities, and the central government - state problems and war. Klitschko's words about the threat of authoritarianism in Ukraine look at least strange.
A year ago, in an interview with the same Der Spiegel, he stated that it was not time to criticize Zelensky. "It was not a time then, it is obvious that this time came," political scientist jokes with focus Yaroslav Makitra - in Klitschko's team they see political activation and try to enter the game. Then criticizing Zelensky was risky because of the threat of being accused of split and losing his electorate , now you can do it without electoral threats.
" According to political scientist Igor Reitrovich, Ukraine has objectively deteriorated relations between the central government and local self -government. He recalls that even Western partners emphasized that war is not a reason for collapse of decentralization and on the ground. Vitaliy Klitschko, who is the chairman of the Association of Ukrainian Cities, had to respond to it, especially before the Western audience.
"One of the reasons for such statements is the political ambitions of Klitschko, it is because of local self -government that he tries to pay attention to his activities. In addition, it seems to me that just the press service of Klitschko failed to reconcile and smooth some sharp words of the politician. After all, he is nothing. He did not say that, it could simply be conveyed in other words and not to take into the title for scandal, "he says.
At the same time, Makitra reminds that in the history of Ukraine's independence, every president tried to control the capital. Zelensky and Klitschko's confrontation in this case is no exception. According to the sources of focus in Vitaliy Klitschko surrounded, the politician has recently changed the team of political consultants and technologists. It is with them that he tries to implement his political strategy, which was conceived in 2024.
The interlocutor notes that the plans for 2024 were agreed after the 2019 presidential election. With the start of the probability of elections, this strategy was decided to implement. "Despite the sterility of the information space, politics still climbed there. Everyone understands that the elections should take place in 2024, and if they do not pass, then they should be ready-have a strategy, team, staff.
The media, they are immediately picked up by us, quoted, discussed, " - says Focus political expert Oleg Pasternak. He notes that Klitschko builds his own political team, for this purpose in the information space support the activities of the Ukrainian Team Charity, from which they can very quickly create a political party. By the way, public access to most state registers was closed at the time of martial law. It is difficult to understand what is happening to political parties.
"The problem of Klitschko is that he has no resource, there is no media, but there are international links he is using very well. I will remind that he had a visit to the United States in April, where he met with Anthony Blinken State Secretary. . I think now the nickname is preparing the image of a defender of democracy and local self -government, "Pasternak explains.
According to political scientist Petr Oleshchuk, everyone is already accustomed to the internal political struggle in Ukraine, but bringing these problems to the Western audience to harm the national interests. "Klitschko's statements" put the greatest pig "Ukraine from the beginning of a full -scale invasion of the Russian Federation. At the most critical moment for the country, he made statements about the threat In a dead end, and they ask for weapons.
Recall that the nickname is well known in the west and listened to it, "Oleshchuk's focus notes. The expert reminds that Klitschko is a leader in foreign visits, where he can meet other politicians and express a vision of his thoughts. If there was really authoritarian in the country, would he be able to do it? For example, he asks to name at least one Russian mayor or chairman of the administration who publicly criticizes Vladimir Putin.
At the same time, Pasternak notes that there is a certain feeling of lack of response to public consensus and vision of the strategy of further activity. Zelensky is currently moving into the role of a political person convenient for writing out all guilt and accusations of failures. By criticizing the President, you can reorient an electorate that does not support him.