German Foreign Minister Gido Westerwelle is deeply concerned about the health of Yulia Tymoshenko and her decision to go on a hunger strike, according to the Official web site of Yulia Tymoshenko. "I say emphatically: we expect from the Ukrainian government that Yulia Tymoshenko and other prisoners will get decent and proper medical treatment. Ukraine must stand by all its obligations to treat prisoners. The offer by the Federal Government regarding medical treatment for Mrs. Tymoshenko stands. I personally gave this proposal again to my Ukrainian colleague," the German foreign minister said in a statement posted on the website of the German embassy in Ukraine.
According to him, the German government took note of the request by the Ukrainian government regarding participation by German physicians in the treatment of Yulia Tymoshenko. "This issue is currently being reviewed, and whether and how this participation can become a meaningful medical contribution in the treatment of Mrs. Tymoshenko," he added.
"Europe is first and foremost a community of values. Respect for fundamental values, such as the rule of law in a country, is a basic prerequisite if Ukraine is to move closer to the EU. This also includes ensuring that criminal law is not used as a tool of political battle," he stressed.
