New Tymoshenko trial postponed again over health

A Kharkiv district court judge announced again on Monday that a new trial against jailed former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko would be delayed for the second time, this time until June 25 because she could not be tried in absentia and was unable to attend the proceedings due to health problems. Charges in the case were filed by Ukraine’s Security Service in February over the alleged embezzlement of USD 406 mln in state funds by United Energy Systems of Ukraine, a gas trading company headed by Tymoshenko in 1995-1997. She is currently serving a seven-year jail sentence in a Kharkiv penal colony for her role in negotiating a gas supply contract with Russia in 2009; an appeal in that case was postponed last week until June 26.

Brad Wells: The delays are in line with our expectations that the government will tread carefully against Tymkoshenko in the runup to and during Euro-2012 (June 8 – July 1). Overall, we continue to believe the government is unlikely to change its stance on the cases against Tymoshenko, especially with a key parliamentary election coming in October, despite the risk of increasing international isolation with the EU, US and Russia have all dubbed the cases politically motivated.