KIEV, October 19 (Itar-Tass) – Ukraine would like to feel respectful treatment on the part of European partners in spite of the fact that trust in relations with the West was undermined in previous years.
“Resumption of trustworthiness demands tolerance and patience but we can state already now that Ukraine’s international reputation is getting stronger,” President Viktor Yanukovich said Wendesday in an interview with Channel One of the national television.
He recalled the recent trial over the former Prime Minister, Yulia Timoshenko, whom the Pechersky district court in Kiev sentenced to seven years in jail October 11 for an abuse of occupational powers in the process of signing agreements on the purchases and transits of Russian natural gas in 2009.
“I’d like to see transparent procedures,” Yanukovich said with reference to the stance on the issue taken by Western countries. “It’s important that foreign politicians should stay away from it.”
“Time will pass and everything will click into place as regards Timoshenko’s case,” he said. “If she wasn’t guilty, the court will take an appropriate decision then and if she was, she will bear the full brunt of responsibility.”
Only two days after the proclamation of a guilty verdict by the Pechersky court, a new criminal case was instituted against Timoshenko.
She is accused this time of relegating the debts of the United Energy Systems of Ukraine power monopoly to the national budget.
The investigators claim Timoshenko relegated to the budget the repayment of $ 405.5 million, which the UES of Ukraine owed to the Russian Defense Ministry.