Council of Europe: international community may not recognize elections without Yulia Tymoshenko

Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland says there is a risk the international community will not recognize the parliamentary elections in Ukraine without the participation of opposition leaders Yulia Tymoshenko and Yuriy Lutsenko, according to the Official web site of Yulia Tymoshenko.

"The fact that the elections will take place without imprisoned Yulia Tymoshenko may lead to protests. There is also a risk that therefore these elections will not be recognized as fair and be declared free," reports radio Deutsche Welle, citing a Tagesspiegel interview with Thorbjorn Jagland.

The Secretary General of the Council of Europe said he warned the Ukrainian leadership of this risk.