EU president predicts Ukraine pact despite trial of Yulia Tymoshenko
Herman Van Rompuy says association agreement should be finalised by end of year
- AP in Warsaw and Kiev
- guardian.co.uk, Friday 30 September 2011
The European Union expects to finalise an association agreement with Ukraine by the end of the year, despite the controversial trial in Kiev of former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, according to the EU president, Herman van Rompuy.
A Ukrainian judge has adjourned the trial until 11 October, to consider the verdict. He left the courtroom to shouts of "shame!" and "fascist!" from Tymoshenko's supporters.
The US and EU have condemned the trial as politically motivated, and officials have warned that it could jeopardise Ukraine's hopes of closer European integration.
But, speaking at a summit in Warsaw, Van Rompuy said the EU still expected to finalise a key agreement with Ukraine by the end of the year.
He said EU leaders "expressed our concern" about the selective use of judicial procedures against members of the past administration: "This is a serious matter in our relations and we are expressing ourselves very clearly on this matter."
Tymoshenko, 50, claims the trial has been orchestrated by her long-time foe, President Viktor Yanukovych, to force her out of politics. She was the driving force behind the 2004 Orange Revolution that overturned a fraudulent election victory claimed by Yanukovych. Her adversary then staged a comeback, defeating her in a 2010 presidential vote.
Tymoshenko has been detained for nearly two months on charges of contempt of court during the trial.
Prosecutors say she was not authorised to order the signing of a natural gas contract with Russia and say the price agreed for the transaction was too high, causing losses to the state budget. They have asked the court to fine Tymoshenko £121,000 in damages.
Tymoshenko claims that as a prime minister she did not need any special permission to order the signing of the deal which helped end a bitter pricing dispute between Moscow and Kiev.
adjourn : odraczać
adversary : adwersarz
condemn : skazywać
damages : odszkodowanie
detained : zatrzymany
fraudulent : sfałszowany
jeopardise : zagrażać
orchestrate : aranżować
summit : szczyt
