Former Ukrainian Prime Minister and leader of the Fatherland party Yulia Tymoshenko speaks at a parliament session in Kiev, Ukraine on April 14, 2016. (Xinhua)
KIEV, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian opposition politician Yulia Tymoshenko announced Wednesday she will participate in the presidential race next year.
"I will run for president of Ukraine," Tymoshenko said in a statement posted on her official website.
Tymoshenko promised that, if she wins, she will hold a referendum on adopting a new Ukrainian Constitution aimed at "demonopolizing power" and changing the country's governance model.
Ukraine is scheduled to hold its next presidential election on March 31, 2019.
The 57-year-old Tymoshenko is a leader of the Fatherland party, which holds 20 seats in the 450-seat Ukrainian parliament.
Tymoshenko had served as Ukrainian prime minister between 2005 and 2010.