The Foreign Ministry of France has said it is disappointed by the Higher Economic Court's decision to uphold the conviction of Ukraine's former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and that selective justice and non-compliance with the principles of the rule of law may damage Ukraine's further relations with the EU.
“France deeply regrets the rejection by the court of a cassation
appeal by the former prime minister of Ukraine, Yulia Tymoshenko. We
reiterate our concern about the development of the political situation
in Ukraine, and urge the Ukrainian authorities to honor their
commitments to respect fundamental rights and freedoms. Selective
justice and non-compliance with the principles of the rule of law in
Ukraine may damage further relations with the European Union, including
the signing of the EU-Ukraine association agreement,” reads a statement
of the Foreign Ministry posted on its official Web site.
As reported, the Higher Specialized Court of Ukraine for Civil and
Criminal Cases refused on August 29 to satisfy an appeal by Tymoshenko
against her seven-year imprisonment sentence in the case on the abuse of
power during the talks on the gas supply contracts with Russia in 2009.
