Batkivschyna Party leader Yulia Tymoshenko has been released on her own recognizance, the press service of the Prosecutor General's Office told Interfax-Ukraine on Wednesday.
"A criminal case was opened against Tymoshenko under part 3, Article 365 of the Criminal Code [the abuse of office, which led to grave consequences]. Yulia Tymoshenko is on her own recognizance," the press service said.
The office said that charges had not yet been brought against Tymoshenko but that she was a suspect.
As reported, Tymoshenko said on Wednesday that the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine had opened a criminal case accusing her of the embezzlement of funds allocated under the Kyoto Protocol.
"Today I found out that the repression of the opposition continues at the Prosecutor General’s Office. I have just learned from investigators that a criminal case has been opened against me for allegedly spending environmental money on pensions during the [financial] crisis," she told reporters after an interrogation at the main investigation department of the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine on Wednesday.
According to Tymoshenko, investigators of the Prosecutor General’s Office wanted to bring charges against her, but they did not do so only because the procedure for such an investigative action requires the presence of a lawyer.
Tymoshenko said that she had already received a summons for another questioning at 1400 on Monday, December 20, and added that she would attend with her lawyer.
