The European parliament criticized the decision to put former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko behind bars for seven years as politically motivated, adding more criticism to first wave of international condemnation of the court ruling.
Despite hammering the Ukrainian leadership for the lack of commitment to the rule of law, the European Union showed at the same time that it is not willing to give up the negotiations with Ukraine on the association agreement, but may put the signing and ratification of the document on hold if the country does not improve soon.
Speaking in front of the EU parliament deputies, who convened late in the evening on Oct. 12 for an emergency session to discuss situation in Ukraine, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton condemned the verdict against Tymoshenko, adding that she has “no doubt that the persecution of Yulia Tymoshenko was politically motivated.”
“Her conviction yesterday followed the trial which did not respect international standards as regards fair, transparent and independent legal process,” Ashton said, reminding that of some other former member of her government are also under persecuted in the same way.
Ashton said such behavior is “not acceptable for a country … which claims to share our fundamental values.”
She said she was happy to hear that President Viktor Yanukovych expressed unhappiness with the court and that he recognized the need for change. “Frankly, this is not enough,” added Ashton, saying that it does not excuse the authorities from holding fair and independent trails.
Nevertheless, the EU foreign policy chief expressed in favor of concluding negotiations with Ukraine on the association agreement. “I believe that we should not walk away from the technical negotiations, but continue with the aim of having it before us on a table – a document which makes it clear for both sides what is possible and also what could be lost,” she said.
Ashton warned that that the EU can only sign the agreement if Ukraine believes in and is committed to the EU democratic values.
She also hinted that the EU will not be willing to sign the agreement until Tymoshenko is behind bars. “It is clear that this house [the EU parliament] would not accept such an agreement if it did not have this conviction,” said she, adding that the EU will review political dialogue with Ukraine.
Ashton also told the deputies that she is meeting with President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy and EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso Oct. 13 to among other things discuss the situation in Ukraine.
During the debates in the EU parliament Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, a member if the European people’s party, a political partner of Tymoshenko’s Fatherland party, came out in favor of condemning the court ruling against the ex-premier.
He also called the trial “politically motivated” and added that “it did not meet even minimum European standards.”
“Ukraine’s European aspirations require practicing European values, democracy and rule of law,” said he. “This is now not the case in Ukraine.”
While expressing support for completing in December the negotiations on the association agreement, he warned that sabotaging political opposition in Ukraine may put Kyiv’s European perspective at risk and will have consequences on the adoption and implementation of the association agreement. “Afterwards the signature and ratification can be declined, if no changes in Ukraine occur,” said the deputy.
He said Tymoshenko should be “released and enjoy full political and civil rights right now.”
Hannes Swoboda, a member of the Social Democrats, a partner of the Yanukovych’s Party of Regions’, also expressed in favor of continuing negotiations on the association agreement with Ukraine. He also encouraged other EU parliament members to send Ukraine a signal that current situation does not meet Europe’s preconditions in order to move on to a higher level of relations.
Most present from different political groups also were in favor of finalizing association agreement negotiations with Ukraine.
Some, however, pointed at Russia as the only party who would remain happy, if the EU and Ukraine fail to sign the deal.
“It is not for us to close the door before Ukraine,” said Marek Siwiec from Social Democrats. “If this agreement is not signed, then the biggest winner of such a situation and the party who will be the happiest will be the host of the Kremlin.”
Some in the EU parliament, like the European people’s party deputy Krzysztof Lisek, warned the Judge Rodion Kireev, who tried Tymoshenko in court, that by doing what he has done to Tymoshenko may make him inadmissible into the EU territory.
Along with this criticism, the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine appears to believe that some EU countries use Tymoshenko case as an excuse not to sign the association agreement with Ukraine.
“They (Europeans) do not like actions of the [Ukrainian] authorities, but offer to punish the entire country,” said Oleh Voloshyn, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry, Oct. 12 on Channel 5.
According to him, “those who in principle do not want to see Ukraine in the European Union today will use this opportunity (Tymoshenko verdict) to shut the mouth of those who really see” Ukraine in the EU.
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Kyiv Post staff writer Yuriy Onyshkiv can be reached at [email protected]
