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| Ukraine fails to pass bills freeing Yulia Tymoshenko | Ukraine fails to pass bills freeing Yulia Tymoshenko |
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| Ukraine's parliament has failed to pass bills that would have enabled the release of the jailed former prime minister and opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko, dealing a blow to the ex-Soviet republic's chances of integration with the European Union. | |
| European leaders consider Tymoshenko's seven-year sentence for abuse of office politically motivated and have said they will refuse to sign a landmark association agreement with Kiev at a summit next week unless she is freed. | European leaders consider Tymoshenko's seven-year sentence for abuse of office politically motivated and have said they will refuse to sign a landmark association agreement with Kiev at a summit next week unless she is freed. |
| Despite this threat, members of President Viktor Yanukovych's Party of Regions did not vote in favour of even one of the six bills meant to allow Tymoshenko's release on Thursday morning. Two top EU envoys who have been lobbying for a solution for months were present at the vote. | Despite this threat, members of President Viktor Yanukovych's Party of Regions did not vote in favour of even one of the six bills meant to allow Tymoshenko's release on Thursday morning. Two top EU envoys who have been lobbying for a solution for months were present at the vote. |
| Opposition MPs responded with chants of "Shame!" and urged Yanukovych to pardon Tymoshenko through a presidential decree. | |
| "It is President Viktor Yanukovych who is personally blocking Ukraine's movement towards the European Union," the opposition leader Arseniy Yatsenyuk told parliament in an emotional speech after the vote failed. | "It is President Viktor Yanukovych who is personally blocking Ukraine's movement towards the European Union," the opposition leader Arseniy Yatsenyuk told parliament in an emotional speech after the vote failed. |
| Theoretically, Yanukovych has until the summit begins on 28 November to secure Tymoshenko's release either by pardoning her or by ensuring parliament passes the necessary law next week. | |
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