VAKS considers Tymoshenko’s property seizure for the third time: online broadcast
21 January 11:56
On January 21, the High Anti-Corruption Court began its third attempt to consider a motion to seize the property of Batkivshchyna leader Yulia Tymoshenko. The broadcast from the courtroom is being conducted by VAKS, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
Yulia Tymoshenko, who is on trial for bribing Ukrainian MPs, reported a deterioration in her health. She appeared at the High Anti-Corruption Court hearing on January 20 wearing a black protective mask and said she was ill.
“I came to court to show that I will not miss a single court hearing,” Tymoshenko said.
Tymoshenko added that she had fallen ill the day before and came to the court hearing that day with a fever.
The first hearing took place on the 19th, but the court postponed the hearing until January 20. On January 20, at the request of Tymoshenko’s lawyers, who said they had not had time to familiarize themselves with the materials, the judge postponed the hearing until January 21.
During her speech at the hearing, Yulia Tymoshenko called the anti-corruption authorities a “monster” and accused them of “destroying people’s lives.”
What decision did the court make?
At the same hearing , the High Anti-Corruption Court imposed a preventive measure on Yulia Tymoshenko — bail in the amount of approximately 33 million hryvnia. Earlier, the politician stated that her bank accounts were blocked, which, according to her, made it difficult to pay the bail.
“We want to destroy this majority,” — NABU tapes
On January 14 , NABU released audio recordings of conversations which, according to the investigation, are evidence of negotiations regarding such a scheme. The recordings feature a voice that, according to detectives, sounds like Yulia Tymoshenko’s.
Anti-corruption authorities say that these materials formed the basis for the notification of suspicion. At the same time, the final assessment of the evidence must be provided by the court.
The conversations on the NABU tapes suggest that the person with a voice similar to Tymoshenko’s is discussing the start of cooperation with a group of three MPs and directly explaining the motives.
The conversations are dated January 12, the day before the party’s office was searched.
In the recordings, both speak Russian. Tymoshenko, in particular, says that on the issue of personnel changes, her deputies only vote for dismissals, but do not vote for appointments. Also, Batkivshchyna deputies vote to include bills on the agenda, but do not vote on the documents themselves, in order to “kill” them.
What Tymoshenko says about the NABU accusations
The leader of Batkivshchyna refuted the NABU accusations, calling them unfounded and unproven. According to her, more than 30 detectives in full gear and armed came to the party’s office at 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 13. The MP claims that she was alone in the office at the time, which did not even have security. According to her, law enforcement officers arrived at the party’s office in five buses.
She stated that the NABU employees did not have search warrants with them.
The MP also said that her parliamentary documents and personal savings, which she claims are reflected in her declaration, were seized.
What is known about the Tymoshenko case
On January 13, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office reported the exposure of the leader of one of the Verkhovna Rada factions for offering illegal benefits to MPs from other political forces for voting “for” or “against” specific bills.
The SAPO statement emphasizes that this is a preliminary legal assessment and that only a court can make a final conclusion. The preliminary classification is Part 4 of Article 369 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (offering, promising, or providing illegal benefits to a public official), which carries a penalty of 4 to 8 years in prison.
