Former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko is convinced that through use of repression against his political opponents, President Viktor Yanukovych is deliberately trying to disrupt the signing of the agreement on association and free trade zone with the European Union, according to the Official web site of Yulia Tymoshenko.
“The agreement on association and free trade zone with the European Union is in the final stages. Yanukovych is declaring that he sincerely wants this, but in reality it’s only declarations. He’s doing everything he can right now to provoke the EU into not signing the agreement on association and free trade zone,” Yulia Tymoshenko said today in court.
Yulia Tymoshenko believes that Viktor Yanukovych considers Ukraine’s entry into the EU unacceptable. “Because this will mean an end to the massive corruption he’s involved in. This will mean an end to the legal chaos that we’re seeing today because it will force him to return to true democratic values,” she said.
The ex-premier also asked the representatives of Europe in the courtroom to not leave Ukraine without a European future. “I know his plans clearly. He’s keeping me behind bars in order to prevent the signing of the association agreement. So I would like to appeal to the European community: they are punishing the opposition and throwing us in jail. What is happening today in Ukraine has nothing in common with democracy. But if Yanukovych is denied the agreement on association and free trade zone, Yanukovych will not be punished, every Ukrainian will be punished,” she said.
