Ukrainian business mogul Rabinovich announces presidential bid

(JTA) — Ukrainian Jewish businessman Vadim Rabinovich has announced his candidacy for president of Ukraine in the upcoming elections.

Rabinovich, the owner and co-founder of Jewish News One and co-chair of the European Jewish Parliament, made the announcement during an interview Tuesday for the Vesti.ua news website and online radio service.

In the interview, which Rabinovich posted on his Facebook page, he said Ukraine should become a neutral nation, with a small professional army based on the Swiss model and a regional administration similar to the German federal system.

“There is no need for 26 areas,” he said in reference to the regions that make up Ukraine. He also called for cancelling Value Added Taxes, which he said “turned into a tool for power to feed itself.”

He said in the interview that transparency in government would encourage investments that would help Ukraine recover economically after the months of political turmoil which began in November, and which worsened an already acute financial crisis.

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