“Solid stand-up”: the conversation between the VAKS judge and Yulia Tymoshenko in court is being dissected into quotes
17 January 13:14
Yesterday, the High Anti-Corruption Court held a hearing on the choice of preventive measures for Yulia Tymoshenko, leader of the Batkivshchyna faction, in the NABU case on suspicion of the politician attempting to bribe MPs. The meeting attracted considerable media attention, and individual dialogues between HACC judge Vitaliy Dubas and Yulia Tymoshenko are being analyzed on social media, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
“It’s not a court hearing, it’s a stand-up comedy show,” commented BBC News Ukraine journalist Sofia Sereda, who compiled the most striking quotes from the hearing:
Tymoshenko: We simply insist on the publicity of this process! I just want hundreds of thousands of eyes to see everything from A to Z.
Judge: Well, I have no doubt that half the country is glued to their screens today. Especially pensioners. Even my dear mother-in-law, who is 72 years old.
Prosecutor: I request that my workplace be arranged in such a way that representatives of the media or outsiders are unable to film my workplace.
Judge: Do you want me to put up a screen or something? I don’t understand.
The lawyer asks to add a flash drive to the case.
Judge: Well, it’s a flash drive. I’m not a reader, I don’t know how you’re going to view it. Maybe you have a virus on it.
Deputies from Tymoshenko’s support group: We created you! We voted for you (VAKS)!
Judge: Thank God you didn’t vote for me!
Judge: I will listen to you, Yulia Volodymyrivna, I will listen to everyone!
Tymoshenko: But that’s Yanukovych’s slogan, those are his words!
Judge: Who is Yanukovych?
Tymoshenko: Yanukovych is the former president of Ukraine.
Judge: What does he have to do with this?
Judge: How much time do you need?
Tymoshenko: Well, I don’t know how much time I need… There is so much evidence here!
Judge: This is not a parliament, this is a court!
Tymoshenko: 30 minutes talking about “external control,” “1937,” and “professional struggle.”
Judge: Thank you, Yulia Volodymyrivna, for your report on the work done!
Tymoshenko: This is Stalinism! Soon they will be judging with troikas!
Judge: In 1937, they didn’t elect “zapoyuzhka,” Yulia Vladimirovna.
lawyer. How will they be able to control Yulia Volodymyrivna, who will be abroad, using control measures?
Judge: I think the police will be happy to travel abroad to escort her.
Lawyer Tymoshenko: I feel sorry for this parliament if it can be bribed for $10,000.
Judge: And what price are we talking about?
The High Anti-Corruption Court has chosen a preventive measure for Yulia Tymoshenko in the form of bail in the amount of 33 million hryvnia.
What is known about the case
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office have reported that Yulia Tymoshenko is suspected of offering illegal benefits to MPs from other factions.
The NABU also released recordings of an alleged conversation between Tymoshenko and one of the MPs.
Tymoshenko denies any involvement in the recordings and considers the accusations against her by the NABU and SAPO to be “groundless” and “political pressure.”
The MP previously said that the searches of her political party’s office lasted 13 hours and were conducted by “30 armed men” who did not have a court order.
