Ukrainian opposition leader Tymoshenko charged with misuse of government funds

Ukrainian opposition leader Tymoshenko charged with misuse of government funds

2010-12-21 11:15:27 GMT+7 (ICT)

KIEV, UKRAINE (BNO NEWS) -- Opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko on Monday announced that the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office brought charges against her for allegedly misusing government funds, the RIA Novosti news agency reported.

"I am accused of spending money received within the framework of the Kyoto Protocol to pay pensions," Tymoshenko said. "But no prohibitions will prevent me from meeting people and informing them of my position."

Earlier, the Ukrainian Audit Chamber said that the previous cabinet, led by Tymoshenko, illegally allocated 67.6 million hryvnias ($8.46 million) from state reserves to the Justice Ministry to cover expenses aimed to advocate the country's interests in foreign courts.

Amid claims that Ukrainian authorities were trying to intimidate the opposition leader and former Prime Minister, Tymoshenko was ordered by the Prosecutor General's Office not to leave the country under any circumstance.

Earlier, last Wednesday, Tymoshenko said that a criminal case was opened against her for allegedly misusing public funds. One day later, a fight broke out in the Ukrainian Parliament after members of the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc-Batskivshchyna alliance staged a protest over the accusations.

The opposition members were confronted by deputies from the ruling Party of Region and erupted into a fist-fight. Three Members of Parliament, all part of the opposition alliance, were injured.

Tymoshenko lined with the opposition after her government was dissolved in March following presidential elections which were narrowly won by her rival Viktor Yanukovych. The opposition has strongly criticized the Yanukovych government due to its "anti-Ukrainian" and "pro-Russian" policies.

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