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Sign deal with Kyiv, Tymoshenko daughter tells EU

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Dec. 14, 2011, 9:28 p.m. | Politics — by Reuters

Daughter of former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, Yevhenia Carr, and lawyer Sergei Vlasenko near the Appellate Court in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011.
© AP

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BRUSSELS, Dec 14 (Reuters) - The imprisonment of Ukraine's opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko should not stop the European Union signing an agreement on closer ties with Kyiv next week, but Europe should impose sanctions on Ukrainian leaders, her daughter said on Wednesday. Tymoshenko, a former prime minister, was jailed for seven years in October on charges of abuse of office. She called the verdict a "lynching" by President Viktor Yanukovich, her old political enemy, and the EU said it was politically motivated.

Visiting Brussels to highlight her mother's cause, 31-year-old Evgenia Tymoshenko said her mother was suffering serious health problems after 130 days in jail. "My mother has become a victim in this fight for freedom and democracy," she told Reuters in an interview.

EU diplomats say that because of its human rights concerns, the 27-nation bloc is now unlikely to sign the deal next Monday which was meant to lay the ground for a new strategic partnership with the former Soviet republic, including a free-trade zone. But Tymoshenko and her daughter want it to go ahead.

"HISTORICAL CHANCE"

"Of course she is not going to say that her comfort, or persecution, is worth the whole historical chance of the people of Ukraine," Evgenia said.

"So of course, for the sake of the people, we need to sign... I think Europe should sign this agreement, but I think different measures could be taken to stop the spread of authoritarianism in Ukraine. These could be different measures targeted directly onto the people that are causing repression, not the whole people of Ukraine."

She noted, for example, that the EU had responded to repression in Zimbabwe by imposing sanctions including visa bans on individuals close to the leadership.

"I think it could work in Ukraine as well...I see no reason why it shouldn't be done, because the repression is so transparent now in Ukraine. It's so clear what is going on -- it's physical removal of opponents."

She said her mother had skin problems and serious back pain requiring treatment and physiotherapy. Her health was such that she feared for her life, but her doctor had not been allowed to visit her to take a blood test.

"We are trying to appeal now to the European Parliament...the Council of Europe, to send a group of independent doctors to check, really to diagnose her, and to see whether her life is in threat or not."

While her mother was receiving pain-killing injections, it was not known what effect these would have on her and how long she could take them. "She really cannot walk or stand up."

In a dramatic plea from her prison cell in November, Yulia Tymoshenko urged the EU to go ahead with the association agreement regardless of her fate.

Ukraine's EU ambassador, Kostiantyn Yelisieiev, said this week it appeared unlikely the documents would now be initialled. EU diplomats have said a joint statement simply acknowledging that talks have been formally concluded may be an alternative option, but this would be tantamount to a diplomatic failure.
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The Kyiv Post is hosting comments to foster lively debate. Criticism is fine, but stick to the issues. Comments that include profanity or personal attacks will be removed from the site. If you think that a posted comment violates these standards, please flag it and alert us. We will take steps to block violators.
Anonymous Dec. 14, 2011, 10:54 p.m.    

The daughter is gorgeous. She could get anything by spreading those sexy legs. The mother is well past it though.

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Anonymous Dec. 15, 2011, 4:48 a.m.    

Go to hell pervert! Thief!

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Anonymous Dec. 15, 2011, 9:08 p.m.    

kremlinoids can not disprove my factual statements, so some insane evil pervert decided to use my name (LES). They are ashamed to use their own name because their comments are nonsensical, and/or they were never baptized. As usual, the kremlinoids use intentional disinformation, just like the kremlin intentionally murdered 10,000,000's of Ukrainians.

Read more:

http://www.kyivpost.com/news/opinion/op_ed/detail/118906/#ixzz1gdENO7EE

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Anonymous Dec. 14, 2011, 11:07 p.m.    

Does anyone have any nude pics of Yevgenia? I'm willing to pay.

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Anonymous Dec. 15, 2011, 9:06 p.m.    

Spoken by Mykhayl Dzura the Moskal

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Anonymous Dec. 15, 2011, 12:23 a.m.    

Evgenia Tymoshenko somehow believes she is important enough to convince the E.U to sign the treaty. When in fact, she is only a former prime minister's daughter with no individual accomplishments.

The E.U should do the right thing and not even initial the treaty. Human rights and corruption in Ukraine would not change if the treaty ws signed. Those are just empty promises if some fool actually believes the Associaltion agreement would 'open up' Ukraine. The E.U needs to stand behind its democratic values.

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Anonymous Dec. 15, 2011, 4:57 a.m.    

She believes no such thing. She's not a politician.She's merely doing what she can to help her mother.You would too if your mother was in the same situation. Wouldn't you?

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Anonymous Dec. 16, 2011, 1:08 p.m.    

No. I would denounce her for the criminal she is and adopt a new family name.

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Anonymous Dec. 15, 2011, 4:54 a.m.    

She does have one good suggestion, and she's not the only one, and she's not the one who originated the idea.

Ban visas of the sovok mafia monsters - Yanusvoloch and the rest of them. Some of them have Israeli passports, which they're not supposed to have, but those can be tracked as well.

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Anonymous Dec. 15, 2011, 9:14 a.m.    

The above comment advising against the EU signing treaty with Ukraine was brought to you courtesy of Vladimir Putin and the Russian Nazhi Youth Club.

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Anonymous Dec. 15, 2011, 9:58 a.m.    

And this bove comment appears o be written by a foolish blind diaspora member who believes Ukraine should be admitted to the EU without any strings attached. If the Ukrainan people really want change, then they should vote the current govt out. But of course the diaspora prefers to lay the blame elsewhere rather than themselves or the ukrainian people. such is their common behavior and why they always will be seen as barbarians who do not want to take account or their OWN actions

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Anonymous Dec. 16, 2011, 1:05 p.m.    

Have you considered that we Ukrainians actually have the government we voted for? The wishes of the Diaspora may be vaguely interesting but as they are no longer (in most cases) citizens of Ukraine having taken citizenship in the country to which they migrated. (Holding foreign passports they no longer have a voice here). So does it really matter or effect us what they choose to say? Always keep in mind that the news broadcast in other countries has little resemblance to actual events. I say this from watching French, German, English and American news channels.

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Anonymous Dec. 15, 2011, 9:47 p.m.    

Actuallt it's not. It's from reading daily event to see what a failure the EU has become.

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Anonymous Dec. 15, 2011, 12:39 p.m.    

Russian should be given the status of a national language in Ukraine, so that Ukraine has two state langauges - like English and French in Canada.

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Anonymous Dec. 15, 2011, 3:36 p.m.    

Ukrainian should be given official status in Russia. And what does your foul comment have to do with the topic?

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Anonymous Dec. 16, 2011, 1:36 a.m.    

Ukraine is NOT Canada. Most of the Russians in the Eastern part of Ukraine should be repatriated if they do not want to be Ukrainian, after all, they and their parents never entered Ukraine legally, under a Ukrainian government, but were sent to Ukraine after the Red Terror and Holodomor to repopulate Eastern Ukraine.

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Anonymous Dec. 16, 2011, 1:39 a.m.    

&quot;So of course, for the sake of the people, we need to sign... I think Europe should sign this agreement, but I think different measures could be taken to stop the spread of authoritarianism in Ukraine. These could be different measures targeted directly onto the people that are causing repression, not the whole people of Ukraine.&quot;

Said like a true patriot. Ukrainians have suffered much under former occupiers and now under an administration full of Ukrainophobes.

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