The European Parliament's monitoring mission of Pat Cox and Aleksander Kwasniewski still does not have any proposals to resolve the issue of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, whereas a statement made by MEP Marek Siwiec about a $200 million fine and other proposals are only the options for a possible way out of the situation.
Such an outcome of a closed meeting of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, at which Cox and Kwasniewski spoke about the work done, was disclosed to Interfax-Ukraine on the condition of anonymity by its participants.
“This was not an offer of Cox and Kwasniewski. This was a discussion of possible options, a sort of brainstorming. The search for the solution is still ongoing,” the interlocutor said, adding that the meeting was held behind closed doors, and therefore the fact that Siwiec has written about it causes “surprise and disappointment.”
According to participants in the meeting, two approaches to resolving the situation with Tymoshenko were submitted for discussion: the first concerns the adoption of a special law and the second concerns a partial pardon.
“There was a question – what has to be done so that Tymoshenko can go to Germany for treatment: the adoption of a special law or the application of a partial pardon?” he said.
He said that the adoption of a special law “leads to problems, as no one knows how to deal with the situation after Tymoshenko’s recovery.”
“What will happen when she undergoes the course of treatment after three, four or five months? She’ll have to return to Ukraine, but in what status? Here there are questions that are difficult to answer,” he said.
Another source confirmed that while discussing the option with a partial pardon the meeting participants referred to the current legislation in Poland on reducing the term of imprisonment, imposing a fine and restricting the right to stand for elections.
“She can donate some amount of money for the sake of the country’s future. She will have an opportunity to go abroad, but her status will not change, she will not be innocent. Perhaps, other restrictions should be imposed, such as limiting the possibility of participation in the elections for several years. In general, the atmosphere was positive, the solution is close, and Cox and Kwasniewski hope that the Ukrainian president will accept their proposal,” a meeting participant said.
As reported, on October 15, the Cox-Kwasniewski mission, at an extraordinary meeting of the Conference of Presidents, the governing body of the European Parliament, reported on the work done. After the discussion, it was decided to extend the work of the mission for another month in order to achieve the goal of resolving the situation with Tymoshenko.
After the meeting, MEP Marek Siwiec wrote in his blog that Europe had proposed applying a “partial pardon” to Tymoshenko, under which the former prime minister will be freed, but she will have to pay a $200 million fine and lose civil rights for three years. He said that like any compromise, it has its flaws, but is the only possible option.
