The Verkhovna Rada has passed a report by the ad hoc commission of inquiry into the circumstances of the conclusion of the 2009 gas agreements between National JSC Naftogaz Ukrainy and OJSC Gazprom to discover evidence of treason in the sphere of economic security of Ukraine.
The head of the ad hoc commission, Inna Bohoslovska (Regions Party), read aloud the report during a plenary sitting and some 266 lawmakers supported it.
The statement reads that on January 17-19, 2009, during negotiations and signing of instructions on the signing of the gas contracts between Naftogaz and Gazprom, Ukrainian Premier Yulia Tymoshenko concealed from society and the government the fact of the existence of her private companies’ debt of over $405 million ($405.311,181) to the Defense Ministry of the Russian Federation, as well the existence of a criminal case in Russia, which alleged her being guilty of repeatedly bribing Russian Defense Ministry officials.
According to the report, "these circumstances are undoubtedly evidence of a conflict of interests, and seriously influenced the premier’s decision in favour of a foreign country."
The document alleges that Tymoshenko held secret talks with the Russian premier and agreed to discriminating terms of the gas contracts that violated the terms of the memorandum of cooperation in the gas sphere between Ukraine and Russia signed on October 2, 2008.
In addition, the document stated that the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine refused to approve the instructions on the signing of the contracts with discriminating terms, but Tymoshenko signed the instructions by herself.
According to the document, Tymoshenko put illegal pressure on an official, the chairman of NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy, who refused to sign the discriminating gas contracts and forced him to sign the contracts by threatening his dismissal.
The authors of the document said Tymoshenko violated the Constitution of Ukraine and laws of Ukraine.
"The actions of Ukrainian Premier Yulia Tymoshenko contain signs of a crime and personal dependence, as well as motivation outside her power and duties, and the court has declared Tymoshenko guilty of this. Among other signs of crime Tymoshenko’s actions contain signs of state treason," reads the statement.
According to the document, law enforcement agencies should also investigate into the case.
The report of the ad hoc commission will be sent to the president of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine, and the Security Service of Ukraine for relevant reaction.
In addition, the document will be sent to the Council of Europe, PACE, the Council of the European Union, the European Commission, the European Parliament, the heads of states, governments and parliaments of the EU member states, Russia, the United States, Canada, NATO Parliamentary Assembly, the UN Secretary General, and OSCE.
On October 11, 2011, the Pechersky District Court in Kyiv sentenced Tymoshenko to seven years of imprisonment and ordered her to pay UAH 1.5 billion to Naftogaz Ukrainy for the losses, which the court said were incurred through the 2009 gas contracts with Russia.
Tymoshenko was put in a pre-trial detention center in Kyiv on August 5, 2011. On December 30, she was transferred to Kachanivska penal colony No. 54 in Kharkiv.
Kyiv Court of Appeals confirmed lawfulness of the conviction. The appeal of the cassation appeal is scheduled for May 15, 2012.
