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Klitschko’s presidential chances slim as court upholds tax amendments

KIEV, January 13. /ITAR-TASS/. The Supreme Administrative Court of Ukraine upheld on Monday amendments to the Tax Code, which could jeopardize opposition leader Vitaly Klitschko’s chances of running for the president next year.

Last October, the Ukrainian parliament passed amendments to the Tax Code stipulating in particular that if a person has a permit to reside in a foreign country and pays taxes there then such person cannot be considered a resident of Ukraine. The amendments were approved by President Viktor Yanukovich on November 8.

Leader of UDAR opposition party Klitschko has permits to permanently reside in Germany and the United States. The politician, who is also the WBC heavyweight world boxing champion, lived in Germany for some time and paid taxes there.

Klitschko and his party called the new amendments to the Tax Code a provocation and filed a motion with the Supreme Administrative Court to annul them, but the court rejected the move on Monday.

Last year the 42-year-old oppositionist officially announced of his intention to run in the Ukrainian presidential elections in 2015.

In line with the Ukrainian Constitution, a presidential candidate must permanently reside in Ukraine for at least ten years before running in the elections. Fourteen years ago Klitschko moved to live in Germany, where he is one of the major taxpayers among athletes. According to his tax declaration for 2012, Klitschko made over 11,200 hryvni (over $1,300) living in Ukraine and some $5 million living in Germany.

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