Tymoshenko’s release remains a possibility, Kwasniewski says

The release of imprisoned former Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko remains a possibility, former Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski told Polish radio on June 8. “There are some plans, proposals were offered, now we’re waiting for a response and we’ll see,” he said. The EU has distinguished three key conditions necessary for signing the Association Agreement with Ukraine at the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius in late November, Kwasniewski said. They are arranging for Tymoshenko’s release, reforms to the legal system and election reform. “It seems there is a chance results will be achieved by the end of September on these three issues, which would allow the EU to confirm that the conditions exist for signing the Association Agreement,” he said. Kwasniewski and former European Parliament Pat Cox have undertaken a yearlong mission to Ukraine to seek the release of political prisoners, resulting in the release of former Internal Affairs Minister Yuriy Lutsenko. Their next visit to Ukraine is scheduled for June 13-15.

Zenon Zawada: Had the administration of President Viktor Yanukovych and the ruling Party of Regions diligently pursued endeavors in recent months such as approving legislation in parliament, implementing reforms in executive organs and behaving civil towards the opposition, they could have tipped the scales for the EU to overlook Tymoshenko’s incarceration in signing the agreement. However, the government’s negligence on these matters has forced the EU to make Tymoshenko’s release a priority. Not only does the Yanuokvych administration remain reluctant to release her, but the Justice Ministry has also voiced its opposition to the EU demand that a standard election code be adopted to prevent the rule-changing that occurs with each Ukrainian election. Kwasniewski and Cox scored a diplomatic victory with Lutsenko’s release, but this next challenge is far more daunting given that Tymoshenko poses a threat to Yanukovych’s tenure as president, whether in Ukraine or abroad. We think the odds of success are less than 50%, but we don’t rule out the ability of Kwasniewski and Cox to pull off diplomatic surprises.