You're reading: EU leaders to shun Euro 2012 in Ukraine over political persecution

The European Union announced on Thursday that its leadership would shun Euro 2012 European football championship games held in Ukraine this June-July, marking the strongest sign yet that the former Soviet republic was sliding towards isolation amidst concerns over political persecution.

The decision, announced in a Facebook posting the EU delegation office to Ukraine, adds to international pressure on President Viktor Yanukovych to release jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko and reverse a broader rollback on democracy.

Yanukovych has pledged to steer Kyiv towards closer relations with the EU since narrowly beating Tymoshenko in a 2010 presidential contest. But he has been under fire since last year’s jailing of Ms Tymoshenko and prosecutions against other opposition figures seen as an attempt to sideline political rivals.

Yanukovych continues to steadfastly deny such accusations, but EU officials have been ratcheting up pressure on him.

EU President Jose Manuel Barroso “has no intention of traveling to Ukraine or attending Euro 2012 events in Ukraine,” the EU statement reads.

According to the statement, “this position is shared” by all EU commission ministers. They remain deeply concerned about the state of “rule of law in Ukraine.”

“These concerns are well known and have been expressed several times. No-one can be in doubt about the EU’s position on the untenable situation of Yulia Tymoshenko,” the statement adds.

In another blow for Yanukovych, the presidents of Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Estonia, Germany, Italy and Slovenia announced in recent days that they would shun a May 11-12 summit in Ukraine hosted by him.

Notorious for its cuthroat politics and widespread corruption, Ukraine hoped that co-hosting the Euro 2012 games this June-July along with neighboring Poland would showcase the nation’s brighter side.

Nearly $8 billion has been invested into the nation in the years running up to the games to revamp aging infrastructure, building new airports, stadiums and hotels. A boycott could be a painful blow to the nation’s image and humiliating politically for Yanukovych, whose popularity has plunged. His Regions Party risks losing control over parliament during an October election.

EU leaders have stressed that they would not boycott all Euro 2012 games, clarifying that they would attend games hosted by Poland.

Ever since last autumn’s jailing of Tymoshenko, a former prime minister and leader of the 2004 Orange Revolution, EU leaders have warned Kiev that political persecutions and regressions from democracy could jeopardize closer relations, namely ratification of free trade and association agreements.

“The above does not mean a review of our policy regarding Ukraine. We remain ready to continue engaging with the Ukrainian authorities – but we are requesting from them a commitment towards democratic values and rule of law,” the EU said in the May 3 statement.

On Thursday, however, Ukrainian officials remained defiant.

In a statement, foreign ministry spokesperson Oleksandr Dykusarov said Ukraine considers it “destructive to politicize sporting events which have from the oldest of times played an important role in establishing international understanding and unity.” “Calls for a boycott of the championship in practice will undermine the image of this grandiose sporting event and damage the interests of millions of average Ukrainians who vote for various parties, or who are not at all interested in politics. Those who aim to turn Euro 2012 into a target are not helping to reform Ukraine’s justice system and are not helping to strengthen democratic institutions and rule of law in Ukraine,” Dykusarov said.