Today’s Zaman: Tymoshenko’s trial. Political or economic ploy?
Yulia Tymoshenko, Ukraine’s top opposition leader and former prime minister, was arrested during her trial on Friday after the judge ruled she was guilty of systematically disrupting proceedings. From the first day, Tymoshenko refused to recognize the authority of the court. Tymoshenko called the trial a political witch hunt and regularly tweeted its twists and turns directly from the courtroom on her iPad. Along with other accusations, Tymoshenko is also accused of abusing her prime ministerial office by signing a gas deal with Russia that was disadvantageous for Ukraine. According to the 10-year gas supply agreement signed on Jan. 19, 2009, Ukraine was required to pay $360 per 1,000 cubic meters. It was a major hike for Ukraine, which until December 2008 was paying only $179. Read full story here.