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Major businessman says not enough time to prepare for mayoral race in Moscow

Along with it, the businessman promised to continue political struggle

MOSCOW, June 16 (Itar-Tass) - Leader of the Civic Platform party, Mikhail Prokhorov, who is a major Russia businessman, said Sunday he had plans to run for the Mayor of Moscow City in an election that has been scheduled for this autumn but he did not have time to eliminate his foreign financial assets.

“I was getting ready for the election, indeed, and I was really planning it /to run for the mayor’s office/ and we started to reorganize the assets,” Prokhorov said as he spoke on a televised show titled ‘Zheleznye Ledi’ /The Iron Ladies/.

“Unfortunately, this became visible,” he said. “I’m beginning to sell off my overseas assets and to reregister them under the Russian jurisdiction but I was actually short of several weeks /to complete the process/.”

Along with it, the businessman promised to continue political struggle.

“I won’t go away and I’ll continue fighting for my Moscow and will prove it at the election for the Moscow City Duma,” Prokhorov said.

He also commented on the claims that he was one of “Putin’s projects” as a liberal politician.

“I have a very simple answer,” he said. “I’m a project of designed by my parents and they taught me to be responsible for everything I’m doing myself, and that’s my credo.”

Prokhorov also admitted he was running a risk of losing everything as he engaged in politics.

“This may sound overly pathetic but I do love my country and that’s the only place where I would like to live,” he said. “I do realize the risks but I assume responsibility for them.”

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