EU calls for Ukraine opposition leader Tymoshenko to be freed

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24403516

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EU envoys have called for the Ukrainian opposition leader, Yulia Tymoshenko, to be pardoned, her lawyer says.

The envoys are in Ukraine to assess whether it has fulfilled the EU's conditions for a landmark agreement, including Ms Tymoshenko's release.

Ms Tymoshenko, who has a back ailment, is under prison guard in a Ukrainian hospital, in a case her supporters say was politically motivated.

The former prime minister was convicted of abuse of office over a gas deal.

In a separate development, a senior prosecutor who handled criminal cases against her has been dismissed and moved to another job.

Renat Kuzmin's sacking is being seen in Kiev as a gesture towards the EU before the deal is due to be signed in Lithuania late next month.

Hope for treatment

European Parliament ex-President Pat Cox and Poland's former President, Alexander Kwasniewski, have been sent to Kiev as special envoys of a European Parliament monitoring mission to Ukraine.

They will report back to Brussels by 15 October, with their assessment of whether Ukraine has fulfilled the EU's criteria for the association and free trade agreement.

Ms Tymoshenko's continued imprisonment is considered as a major element that could stop the deal being signed.

The EU has said the association agreement is dependent on Kiev introducing extensive reforms, and has consistently called for Ms Tymoshenko's release.

Her lawyer, Serhiy Vlasenko, said the envoys had formally asked the Ukrainian president, Viktor Yanukovich, to allow her to go to Germany to receive medical treatment.

There was no immediate response from the president, but Ms Tymoshenko, under guard in a hospital in the north-eastern city of Kharkiv, released a statement saying she was "ready to accept this proposal for the sake of a successful Vilnius and... the historic and momentous agreement with the EU".

Doctors from Germany have been treating Ms Tymoshenko's back condition, and the government in Berlin has stated its readiness to receive her for medical treatment to resolve the political deadlock over her detention.

Mr Vlasenko said European leaders were pressing for Ms Tymoshenko to be allowed to leave Ukraine by the time they submitted their report to Brussels.

"This is why the European politicians in charge of guiding Ukraine towards the signing of the association agreement see 15 October as one of the key dates," he said.

"Time will show whether Viktor Yanukovych will pluck up the courage to satisfy Pat Cox and Aleksander Kwasniewski's appeal, but it would only take him one minute."

Mr Yanukovich has said in the past that he cannot interfere with decisions of the courts.