You're reading: Chornovil: Yanukovych not to fulfill his promises to West on Tymoshenko’s release

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych will not fulfill his promises to the West regarding the release of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, MP Chornovil told Radio Liberty on Sunday.

"At a time when the West, wryly, is expressing its readiness to continue the dialog with him, he’s openly taking an strange step. Another criminal case has been opened, which shows that none of the promises made by Yanukovych will be fulfilled," he said.

Chornovil noted that it was impossible to decriminalize an article about large-scale embezzlement and that "in Soviet times such crimes were generally punished."

"Closing a criminal case like this would be very problematic, as somebody’s head would have to roll," he said.

"And such a serious case as finally releasing Tymoshenko and clearing her way to the next elections is absolutely unrealistic. It’s also impossible in our country to lose in court and defiantly make the court cancel these charges," he said.

Chornovil said that "Yanukovych either himself agreed to give up the western path and is ready to retreat, or, on the other hand, there is some incredible influence on the situation by people who are blocking the western, and now, apparently, the eastern path, and are leading [Ukraine] towards [Belarusian President Alexander] Lukashenko."

He noted that businessmen Rinat Akhmetov and Ihor Kolomoisky want to operate under European conditions, "rather than under conditions a la Belarus."