Sunday 26 December 2010

Ukraine's Tymoshenko Faces New Charges Over Misuse Of State Funds

KIEV, Ukraine -- New charges related to misuse of government funds may be brought against Yulia Tymoshenko, Ukraine's former prime minister and current opposition leader, Ukraine's Prosecutor General Viktor Pshonka said on Friday.
Tymoshenko already faces trial on accusations of spending money intended for ecological projects to pay pensions.

Besides this, the opposition leader is also suspected in buying 1,000 ambulances at an excessive price, Pshonka told journalists in Kiev.

Tymoshenko has not yet been officially charged in the second case, he added.

Tymoshenko has long been at odds with the current president, Viktor Yanukovych, to whom she narrowly lost February's presidential elections.

Tymoshenko was prime minister under the previous presidency of Viktor Yushchenko, but moved to opposition after her government was dissolved in March following the elections.

Tymoshenko supporters accuse the Yanukovych government of pursuing "pro-Russian" policies and betraying Ukraine's own interests and claim that a "campaign" against their leader is aimed at wiping out opposition.

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