MP Serhiy Sobolev (BYuT-Batkivshchyna) believes...
MP Serhiy Sobolev (BYuT-Batkivshchyna) believes the only way for the government to end the trial against former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko is to close the criminal case against her, according to the Official web site of Yulia Tymoshenko.
“Without a doubt, the best thing is for this case to end with an acquittal in Ukraine because if this case goes to Strasbourg [the European Court of Human Rights] I think this will not be “Tymoshenko v. Ukraine” but “Tymoshenko v. Yanukovych” because the person that will have to held responsible is the one that gave direct orders to open the criminal case and arrest her,” Serhiy Sobolev said at a press conference today in Kyiv.
The MP believes if the court adheres to Ukrainian law, it must enter an acquittal because the case isn’t about economic crime, it is political persecution. “I can’t imagine that in 20 years of independence what can be done to all the premiers and presidents of this country that brought the price of gas from $17 per thousand cubic meters to the current price. The first decision to raise the price to $50 rests on at least three premiers and two presidents,” he said.
“It’s one thing to decriminalize crimes related to smuggling, tax evasion, this list can go on, it’s another thing when the decriminalization is in a political provision because the responsibility of the prime minister, like that of the first vice prime minister for collective decisions of the government, is basically impossible in a criminal or civil sense,” he said.
“I strongly believe that there is only one way to resolve this matter. All other ways basically mean starting a war in Ukraine not between the opposition and majority or among politicians that today are in government or opposition, but starting a process that will go on for decades. I don’t think the government wants this; therefore, I believe there is only one way to resolve this case and that is to close it immediately,” he added.