Tymoshenko case could "isolate" Ukraine, European

Kyiv (dpa) – The chief of Europe‘s human rights watchdog on Monday
during a visit to Ukraine singled out the case of jailed ex-premier
Yulia Tymoshenko as an example of weakening democratic values that
could lead to the former Soviet republic‘s “isolation.”

“Politicians should be held responsible for their decisions,”
Thorbjorn Jagland, the secretary general of the Strasbourg-based
Council of Europe, said at a Kyiv press conference. “But it should be
done by parliament, and by Ukrainian voters in elections.”

The leader of Ukraine‘s opposition, Tymoshenko was sentenced in
October to seven years‘ imprisonment on abuse-of-office charges
connected with a government contract to import Russian natural gas
signed while she was in office.

Jagland criticised Tymoshenko‘s jailing, saying it should have
been Ukraine‘s parliament, rather than a Kyiv city court, that ruled
on her possible misdeeds. Her removal from active politics was a
clear sign of weakening democratic values in the country, he said.

“When one of the main leaders of the opposition is in prison,
that‘s a problem,” he said.

Increasing pressure on independent media in the run-up to
October‘s parliamentary election was also worrying, Jagland said, in
comments reported by the news agency Unian.

“Ukraine could find itself in isolation, if democratic reforms are
not carried out. I would have this tendency stopped, and consider
that the plan of action (an CE-Ukraine agreement on guiding
democratic principles) is extremely important,” he said.

A key future test for Ukraine will be the October 28 election
which, Jagland said, must be conducted in a free and fair manner.

As a convicted felon Tymoshenko by law is banned from running as a
candidate in the election, even though her party Batkyvshchina
(Motherland) is the second-largest political grouping in Ukraine.

Tymoshenko, 51, was one of the leaders of Ukraine‘s 2004
pro-democracy Orange Revolution. She has denied wrongdoing and said
she believes herself to be the victim of a political vendetta headed
up by her political enemy President Viktor Yanukovych.

Tymoshenko‘s imprisonment has widely been criticized in the West
and placed on hold a European Union economic cooperation agreement
badly wanted by Kyiv.

Yanukovych in a statement on Monday said Ukraine supports
democratic principles and was continually implementing democratic
reforms.
dpa sbk mat
Author: Stefan Korshak