Ukraine parliament has yet to work on Tymoshenko legislation

Ukraine’s parliamentary majority and opposition have yet to begin work on legislation that would enable imprisoned former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko to be released and seek medical treatment abroad, the Kommersant-Ukraine newspaper reported on October 29. The parliamentary committee responsible for preparing such legislation is scheduled to meet November 6. Opposition MP Serhiy Sas claimed that leaves too little time for the committee to amend legislation approved by parliament and to resubmit it for a second reading and approval by November 18, the day that the EU Foreign Affairs Council is scheduled to reach its decision on signing the Ukraine-EU Association Agreement. Ruling MP Volodymyr Oliynyk dismissed such claims, insisting an amended bill can be drafted within hours of the first reading’s passage. Legislation supported by the Presidential Administration calls for Tymoshenko to get treatment abroad before returning to Ukraine to serve the remainder of prison sentence, while legislation supported by the opposition calls for amnesty.

Zenon Zawada: The stark differences in the proposals submitted by the ruling majority and opposition are not surprising. The opposition will certainly have to drop its demand for amnesty. Even the partial pardon solution suggested by the EU (and supported by the opposition) will be a tough sell for President Viktor Yanukovych (but not impossible). We believe the best prospects for solution lies with the legislation submitted by independent MP Serhiy Mishchenko, which does not pardon Tymoshenko, enables her to seek medical treatment abroad and would require her to return to Ukraine to serve the remainder of her prison sentence. The EU leadership may find this hard to swallow, but not impossible.