Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has said that a statement by President Viktor Yanukovych on the Russian language is pre-election politics.
"It is clear for me that this [new] promise by Yanukovych indicates only one thing – the parliamentary elections are coming, and the team of ‘professionals’ will have nothing to offer people. Therefore, they are using a favorite tactic of political technologists: to embroil the people, divide the people and bump together the right bank and left bank of Ukraine," Tymoshenko said in a statement posted on the Web site of the Batkivschyna Party on Monday, March 19.
While commenting on reports in the Russian media regarding Yanukovych’s proposal to grant Russian the status of a state language in Ukraine, she said: "It’s as if there are no other worries in Ukraine and that all of the other problems of the people were properly addressed by the new government a long time ago."
Tymoshenko also added: "The only consolation in this situation for us may be just the fact that the chronic failure to keep promise s is the only point on their program that the president and the ruling party are fulfilling perfectly. And I can advise only one thing to officials who are so concerned about bilingualism in Ukraine – learn Ukrainian!"
