Navalny promises to make decision on Moscow mayoral elections soon

(Interfax – KIROV, July 19, 2013) Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny has said he will make a final decision regarding his further participation in the Moscow mayoral race after he returns to Moscow and consults with his election campaign coordinators.

“This decision will be made after I return to Moscow and we discuss everything,” Navalny said, answering a question from Interfax.

The opposition activist said that he had two options – “it is either a boycott of the elections or participation in them.”

“I am not a pet animal. No one is allowed to remove me from the elections and then permit me to run in them for another month,” Navalny said.

The opposition activist thanked all those who attended recent rallies in his support.

Navalny has already left the Kirov Regional Court building.

Chief of the Navalny election campaign staff Leonid Volkov told Interfax earlier that the opposition activist would run for the office of mayor in Moscow because the Kirov Regional Court upheld the prosecutor’s appeal against his arrest.

In his words, Navalny intends to return to Moscow on Saturday.