You're reading: Batkivschyna says no laws needed to release Tymoshenko

The Batkivschyna faction in the Verkhovna Rada will not submit any additional bills regarding the treatment of convicts abroad, because the current legislation allows the president to release former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, the Batkivschyna Party said in a statement on Monday.

“We have repeatedly noted that the current legislation, in particular, the constitution, laws in the health sector and the Criminal Executive Code, don’t impose any restrictions on convicts going abroad for treatment. Thus, [Ukrainian President Viktor] Yanukovych’s attempt to shift the responsibility for the fate of Yulia Tymoshenko onto the parliament is at least cunning,” reads the statement.

“At the same time, we remind the Ukrainian authorities that a compromise with Europe, which has to be achieved to sign the Association Agreement with the EU requires the elimination of the problem of selective justice, rather than just sending Yulia Tymoshenko for medical treatment,” Batkivschyna said.

“Therefore, we again emphasize that resolving the issue of eliminating politically motivated justice and settling the problem of Yulia Tymoshenko rests solely with Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. A sufficient number of petitions for the release of the opposition leader have been submitted to the Presidential Administration, in particular, from the heads of Ukrainian churches, 172 people’s deputies and the Cox-Kwasniewski mission. Only the political will of Yanukovych is needed,” reads the statement.

“The Batkivschyna Party fully agrees with the method of resolving the issue of Yulia Tymoshenko, which was proposed by the EU mission. We continue to insist that the opposition leader should leave for treatment abroad as a free person, devoid of unfair accusations and convictions of corrupt courts,” reads the statement.