Dmytro Gnap, a former investigative journalist running for president of Ukraine in the March 31 election, is asking people to support his candidacy by kick-starting a crowdfunding campaign.
With the deadline to submit necessary paperwork set for Feb. 3, Gnap is trying to raise the required Hr 2.5 million ($90,000) registration fee. He still needs more than Hr 2 million.
Gnap on Jan. 20 annouced that he is running for president. after a small and relatively unknown political party, Syla Lyudey, nominated him.
“Those who donate we inform that the money remains for party needs,” says Gnap. “In case we do not collect (the required) money, our parliamentary campaign begins.”
Volodymyr Fesenko, a Ukrainian political analyst, said candidates without wealth or strong financial backing must turn to voters through fundraisers or crowdfunding.
While common in the West, Fesenko said Ukrainians’ strong distrust in politics make people reluctant to donate money to politicians, even if those they support.
Gnap told the Kyiv Post that he is open to supporting either Anatoliy Hrytsenko, a former defense minister, or Andriy Sadovyi, the Lviv mayor and leader of the Samopomich party with 25 members in parliament, if they unite.
Gnap said his party’s goal is to battle the oligarchic system that, he says, is bankrolling many presidential candidates with undisclosed sources of money.
“We are totally different, even when compared to our colleges from the democratic block,” says Gnap.
