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Timoshenko has no problems with treatment in Ukraine-prosecutor

Timoshenko can stay there quite legally. This is provided for by legislation,” said the representative of the prosecutor’s office
Photo ITAR-TASS
Photo ITAR-TASS

KIEV, April 7 (Itar-Tass) — Ex-premier and leader of the opposition party Batkovshchina Yulia Timoshenko has no problems with medical treatment in Ukraine, said on Saturday First Deputy Prosecutor-General Renat Kuzmin, speaking on local television.

“What problems? There is a clinic; Timoshenko can stay there quite legally. This is provided for by legislation,” said the representative of the prosecutor’s office.

He noted that the ex-premier’s wish to be treated in Germany “is quite understandable”. “In the meantime, 150 women in the Kachanovskaya penitentiary have a similar much worse diagnosis than that of Timoshenko. They need a similar treatment. It would be honest to send them also for treatment to Germany,” Kuzmin emphasized.

In the opinion of the prosecutor-general’s deputy, “there is no data that Timoshenko really needs a surgical interference and that her state of health is so poor that she should be treated abroad”. Kuzmin said that German doctors suggested treating the ex-premier outside the country. “This is a proposal of the German side and Timoshenko’s request,” he added.

Ukraine and Germany conduct talks on a possible treatment of Timoshenko at a German clinic who serves her sentence at the Kachanovskaya penitentiary for abusing powers in signing a gas agreement with Russia in 2009.

“Yes, talks are in progress; the topic of Timoshenko’s treatment is actively discussed with the German side,” Kuzmin continued. Replying to a more specific question, he underlined that Ukrainian legislation does not provide for, but does not prohibit either treatment of inmates abroad.

However, deputy prosecutor noted: “There are some questions: first, who and how will guard her there, who will ensure her security and who will be responsible for legality of treatment; last, but not least, who will pay for all this? These questions should be discussed at the level of foreign ministers,” Kuzmin said, adding that he does not know whether such talks are conducted at the level of the foreign ministers of the two countries. “I know nothing about this,” he stated.