Batkivschyna Party leader and former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has said that the "case of the ambulances" opened against her is trumped-up.
"This is a trumped-up case… Charges were filed against me in this resolution on the opening of a criminal case that I had no right to buy these vehicles for the villages, because they, in their opinion, they were not equipped as required. This is a purely criminal act against me. It has no grounds," she said on Thursday after leaving the building of the Prosecutor General’s Office.
"This is the same criminal case as that with the pensions. They just have nothing to bring against me – there’s no crime. They are confused due the fact that people no longer support the authorities, and they just need to put the opposition in jail," Tymoshenko said.
She said that she would fight against the current authorities, despite the pressure being exerted on her.
"My fight will be effective and efficient regardless of how many trumped-up cases are opened against me," Tymoshenko said.
As reported, the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) of Ukraine has opened a new criminal case against Tymoshenko.
The PGO press service reported on Thursday that the case concerns the abuse of power and office by Tymoshenko during the procurement under government guarantees and import to Ukraine of Opel Combo cars that were claimed to be ambulances.
The office also noted that on Dec. 17, 2009, the specifications center of the Ukrainian Health Ministry had made an official conclusion that these vehicles do not meet national standards and are not suitable for transporting patients on stretchers.
The case was opened against Tymoshenko on the grounds of a crime committed under part 3, Article 365 of the Criminal Code (the abuse of power or office).
This article foresees imprisonment of seven to ten years, with no right to hold certain posts or conduct certain activities for up to three years. Tymoshenko was earlier a witness in the "case of the ambulances."
Criminal proceedings have already been instituted against Tymoshenko regarding the misuse of funds received by Ukraine under the Kyoto Protocol.
