You're reading: Experts: Lutsenko may walk free before Tymoshenko

Petro Fesenko, the head of the Ukrainian Center for Political Studies, believes the Ukrainian authorities may release Ukraine's former interior minister Yuriy Lutsenko before Yulia Tymoshenko to demonstrate they are resolving the issue of political prisoners. 

“Lutsenko will be in prison in the nearest future. I do not rule out that he may walk free before Yulia Tymoshenko […] because he poses no direct threat to the authorities,” Fesenko told a press conference on Friday.

According to Fesenko’s estimations, Lutsenko’s popularity has passed its peak and he has lost his political force.

“Because he poses no direct threat to the authorities, they may use Lutsenko to demonstrate that they are solving the problem of political prisoners in Ukraine.” He said.

Vitaliy Bala, director of the Agency for Situation Simulation, agrees that Lutsenko poses no threat to the Ukrainian authorities.

“However, Lutsenko has two qualities that make his release now impossible: he is a good speaker and a good field worker […] he is so mobile and energetic that he could seriously harm he authorities during the election campaign,” the expert said.

Both experts believe Lutsenko will not run for president in 2015.

“Lutsenko is now trying to be a team player. He could not be an independent political leader,” Fesenko said.