Former Ukrainian President Yushchenko testifies at Tymoshenko’s trial

Former Ukrainian President Yushchenko testifies at Tymoshenko’s trial

2011-08-18 02:03:16 GMT+7 (ICT)

KIEV (BNO NEWS) -- Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko on Wednesday began testifying at the trial of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, local news agencies reported.

According to the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency, Yushchenko and his former representative for international energy security Bohdan Sokolovsky arrived on Wednesday at the Pechersky District Court in the country's capital Kiev to testify in the case, in which charges have been brought against Tymoshenko regarding alleged abuse of power while signing gas supply contracts with Russia in 2009.

The gas agreement signed by Ukraine and Russia in 2009 should be canceled, Ukraine's third president Yuschenko said during his testimony, as quoted by Interfax.

Yushchenko rejected a claim by Tymoshenko that he had withdrawn the Ukrainian delegation involved in gas talks with Russia in late 2008 and, in consequence, Russian energy giant Gazprom cut-off gas supplies to Ukraine, the Ria Novosti agency reported.

"I had no authority to withdraw the delegation," Yushchenko told the court.

Meanwhile, the Pechersky District Court has again rejected a petition for the release on bail of former prime minister and leader of the Batkivschyna party, Yulia Tymoshenko.

Judge Rodion Kireyev has already rejected six other petitions on changing the measure of restraint against the former premier. Tymoshenko was arrested on August 5 during a court hearing over charges of abuse of power in connection with a 2009 gas deal with Russia. She could be sentenced to 10 years in prison if found guilty.

The arrest came after prosecutor Lilia Frolova asked the court to keep Tymoshenko, who had only faced travel restrictions, in custody, saying that she had obstructed the investigation into the case.

The former prime minister is accused of illegally forcing state energy company Naftogaz to sign a gas supply contract with Russian gas company Gazprom in 2009, which the state says required approval of the Cabinet of Ministers. The agreement ended a three-week standoff between Russia and Ukraine over the price of natural gas.

Tymoshenko, the country's top opposition leader, has claimed her trial is politically motivated and an attempt by President Viktor Yanukovych, who narrowly beat her in the presidential election in February 2010, to bar her from future elections.

The court adjourned the hearing until Thursday to give the defendant enough time to prepare for her testimony.

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