Lilia Frolova, a prosecutor in the judicial process on a gas supply case opened against former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, has finished reading the indictment.
An Interfax-Ukraine reporter said that it took her over three hours to read out the document.
Frolova announced there would be testimony from Tymoshenko, former Naftogaz Ukrainy CEO Oleh Dubyna, third Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko, current Prime Minister Mykola Azarov, and others.
After the prosecutor finished reading the document, the presiding judge, Rodion Kireyev, announced a 15-minute break.
The announcement of the indictment is to be followed by the questioning of the witnesses.
The prosecutor’s office said in the indictment that Tymoshenko has signed "economically disadvantageous and unacceptable" contracts with Russia.
"In doing so, Tymoshenko tried to create the image of an effective manager," reads the document.
Prosecutors also said that Tymoshenko, as prime minister, had no right to unilaterally issue directives to sign the "gas contracts."
"Despite this, Prime Minister Tymoshenko, while abusing power and authority, instructed… Dubyna to sign them," the prosecutor said.
She said that Tymoshenko’s actions fall under Part 3, Article 365 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (abuse of power or authority). The article foresees imprisonment of seven to ten years, with no right to hold certain posts or conduct certain activities for up to three years.
The prosecutor also noted that there were no mitigating circumstances that, according to the prosecutor’s office, could reduce Tymoshenko’s sentence.
"Circumstances mitigating the punishment [of Tymoshenko] have not been established," she said.
