Head of the Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Cooperation Committee Pawel Kowal has described the trial of former Ukrainian Interior Minister Yuriy Lutsenko as politically motivated and said he was surprised by the term to which the ex-minister was sentenced.
Kowal told Interfax-Ukraine that Lutsenko’s prosecution "is political, rather than criminal in nature."
The MEP recalled that this issue had been raised many times, including in connection with the trial of former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
"The provisions of Articles 364 and 365 [of the Criminal Code of Ukraine] have remained unchanged since the era of the Soviet Union, and Ukrainian legislation does not distinguish between criminal and political responsibility. This is a situation that is impossible in the EU countries. And last, but not least in importance is what amazes me most of all – time: the duration of detention looks simply too long," he said.
In this regard, Kowal did not rule out that the Lutsenko case would be soon discussed at the international level in various aspects.
Court has imposed a four-year sentence for embezzlement and abuse of office on a former Interior Minister Yuriy Lutsenko. The verdict and sentence imposed on Lutsenko on Monday means he will stay in jail for two years and 10 months, allowing for time already served since his December 2010 arrest.
