German Parliament intends to block the signing of the Association Agreement with Ukraine until Yulia Tymoshenko remains in prison

Yulia Tymoshenko, ex-Prime Minister of Ukraine

The Bundestag, German Parliament, intends to block the signing of the Association Agreement with Ukraine if Ukrainian ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko will remain in prison, announced the Head of the European Integration Commission in Bundestag Günther Krichbaum.

He also said that the Agreement of the Association of EU with Ukraine is blocked and suspended on the current stage. Mr. Krichbaum added that he will recommend such an option until the case of accused Yulia Tymoshenko isn’t closed and until she remains in prison. According to his statement made on Wednesday, 17 October, after the meeting with Yulia Tymoshenko’s daughter Evgenia that this situation is a symbol of the treatment of the citizens and their freedoms and rights in Ukraine.

The press secretary of Ukrainian oppositional party Batkivshchyna (Homeland) stated that Mr. Krichbaum was positive about the meeting between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Evgenia Tymoshenko, which took place also on Wednesday. We would remind here that Angela Merkel voiced her support of imprisoned Yulia Tymoshenko and of Ukrainian democratic opposition.

Angela Merkel, German Chancellor

Mr. Krichbaum stated during his speech that the upcoming parliamentary elections and their results will be extremely important for the European Union. “The International community is observing the electoral process in Ukraine and it will conduct the investigations if any violations would be noticed and documented”, Mr. Krichbaum said.

Ukrainian parliamentary candidate from the opposition Iryna Gerashchenko reported on her official Facebook page about the meeting of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the representatives of the Ukrainian opposition. The current political situation in the country and the electoral process have been discussed during this meeting, and the opposition’s members have informed Mrs. Merkel about some violations against the opposition and pressure from the Ukrainian authorities.

Günther Krichbaum, Head of European Integration Commission
in German Parliament

Angela Merkel stated during her visit that Germany together with EU is observing and supervising the electoral process in Ukraine and is very concerned with the current violations such as using of the administrative resources by the ruling party and lack of equal access to the media for all the political powers. Mrs. Merkel added that her country and EU will observe the situation in Ukraine after the elections too to estimate how the future parliament will fulfill its duties and deliver on its promises and how independent it will be. The next steps on the path towards the European integration of Ukraine depend on the correct and transparent work of the future Parliament.