Princes William and Harry join Euro 2012 boycott over Ukraine’s treatment of …

  • St James’ Palace said Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry would not attend championships
  • The Foreign Office said the government ‘fully supported’ the England team
  • Ms Tymoshenko was jailed for seven years last year after what supporters claim was a show trial

By
Anthony Bond


PUBLISHED:

17:16 GMT, 7 June 2012

|

UPDATED:

07:09 GMT, 8 June 2012


Protest:Ministers from the UK are boycotting the initial stages of the Euro 2012 football championship amid anger over the treatment of jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko, pictured

Protest: Ministers from the UK are boycotting the initial stages of the Euro 2012 football championship amid anger over the treatment of jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko, pictured

The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry are to avoid the Euro 2012 championships in Ukraine amid concerns about the treatment of the opposition leader.

St James’ Place confirmed that both of the Royals would not be attending.

Their decision follows the news that minsters are to boycott England’s opening Euro 2012 matches over human rights abuses in Ukraine.

But the Coalition’s stance was derided as ‘half-hearted’ yesterday after it emerged that ministers may go if England progress to the latter stages.

The Foreign Office said it would not send any minister to England’s group-stage matches in protest at the plight of glamorous Ukrainian opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko, who was jailed after a ‘show trial’.

All three of England’s group matches take place in Ukraine, which is co-hosting the tournament with Poland.

They play France on Monday in Donetsk; Sweden next Friday in the capital Kyiv; and Ukraine itself in Donetsk on June 19.

However, the Government signalled it would ‘review’ its boycott if England managed to progress to the more glamorous knock-out stages of the tournament, which starts today.

Yet if England reach the quarter-finals, the team will have to play in the Ukraine again, raising the question of why the boycott should suddenly be dropped.

There is also a one in two chance that an England semi-final would be in the country, while the final is in Kyiv.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: ‘No ministers will be attending group games at Euro 2012.

Preparations: The England football team are pictured out and about in Krakow, Poland, today ahead of the Euro 2012 championships

Preparations: The England football team are pictured out and about in Krakow, Poland, today ahead of the Euro 2012 championships

Boycott: England will play at the Donbass Arena Stadium in Donetsk in Ukraine during the championship. But no ministers will be attending group stage matches in the country

Boycott: England will play at the Donbass Arena Stadium in Donetsk in Ukraine during the championship. But no ministers will be attending group stage matches in the country

We are keeping attendance at later stages of the tournament under review in the light of ministers’ busy schedules ahead of the Olympics and widespread concerns about selective justice and the rule of law in Ukraine.’

The Government’s stance was condemned by Shadow Foreign Secretary Douglas Alexander, who said: ‘The Government should urgently confirm that no UK Government ministers will go on official visits to England matches in the Ukraine at any stage of the tournament in the current circumstances.’

Labour MP Stephen Pound said: ‘They are chicken in Kyiv. You can’t put your left leg in, then pull your left leg out and shake it all about.

‘It is half-hearted – not to mention tempting fate – by saying we’re not going to the qualifying games but we will if we reach the final.’

He added: ‘If David Cameron intends to keep sitting on the fence he may as well become a full-time Liberal Democrat.’

Hurt: Ms Tymoshenko was jailed for seven years last year after what supporters claim was a show trial. The former prime minister has accused prison guards of assaulting her and is pictured showing some injuries

Hurt: Ms Tymoshenko was jailed for seven years last year after what supporters claim was a show trial. The former prime minister has accused prison guards of assaulting her and is pictured showing some injuries

Worrying: She claims that guards punched her in the stomach and twisted her arms and legs while taking her to a hospital against her will

Worrying: She claimed that guards punched her in the stomach and twisted her arms and legs while taking her to a hospital against her will

Downing Street followed the lead of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who announced last month that no member of her cabinet would attend any games in the Ukraine.

European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso and EU justice commissioner Viviane Reding have also both ruled out going.
Oleg Voloshyn, foreign ministry spokesman in Kyiv, said Britain’s ‘emotional’ decision was regrettable.

He said: ‘There are multiple channels to express the British position as far as the Tymoshenko case is concerned. It has already been done in a clear and consistent way.

‘The boycott of the sporting event that has nothing to do with politics is a sign that the British government is inclined to resort to emotional rather than deeply calculated steps. [They] damage football but don’t influence in any positive way the situation with the issue that concerns London.’

Damaging: Other European countries including Germany and France announced that senior politicians would boycott games played in Ukraine unless the human rights situation under President Viktor Yanukovych, pictured, improved

Damaging: Other European countries including Germany and France announced that senior politicians would boycott games played in Ukraine unless the human rights situation under President Viktor Yanukovych, pictured, improved

Human rights campaigners have condemned the jailing of Miss Tymoshenko in October. She received a seven-year sentence after what was seen as a show trial and has also gone on hunger strike.

Mrs Tymoshenko was a proponent of the Orange Revolution which swept the Ukraine almost a decade ago. She became prime minister in 2007 until the disputed election of 2010, which was won by her rival, Viktor Yanukovych.

Mrs Tymoshenko said the results had been rigged. She has since faced a series of corruption and bribery charges in a trial which was condemned by EU leaders. The 51-year-old has also been allegedly abused and beaten in jail.

She went on a 20-day hunger strike which ended last month.

Her husband, Oleksandr Tymoshenko, has said that the Ukrainian government is slowly killing his wife. Her daughter, Eugenia, said her mother now has severe spinal problems and may be left disabled.

She called for Britain to speak out against the Ukrainian government, which she warned was turning into a dictatorship.

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Wow, that’s a huge political statement from our government…not!!

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Concerns about human rights in Ukraine? How about the abuses taking place in the UK with the full knowledge of the government?

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UK government. Oxymoron

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