Two emissaries to observe the appeal trial of Yulia Tymoshenko

11^th June 2012

On 6th June the European Parliament appointed Pat Cox, one of its former Presidents and former Polish President Aleksandr Kwasnievski as emissaries to observe the appeal trial of Yulia Tymoshenko. Her conviction, which has led to the exclusion of the opposition leader from the next general elections in the autumn, caused a wave of protest and led the EU to withold the signature and ratification of an association agreement with Kyiv, which included a major chapter on trade. Mssrs Cox and Kwasnievski may follow the appeal and will have "full access to all of the documents linked to the affiar, likewise to the lawyers, prosecutors and other officials involved," in the procedure stressed the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, adding "I hope that their mission will provide a breakthrough to help Ukraine settle the problems associated to the rule of law and the independence of judicial power."

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