MEP sees in Tymoshenko case reluctance of male politicians to admit women to power
The criminal cases against former Ukrainian Premier Yulia Tymoshenko could be explained not only by political motives, but also by the reluctance of male politicians to admit a woman to power, Member of the European Parliament Rebecca Harms has said.
"Speaking about the Tymoshenko case, this is a strong indicator of relations between men and women. I have an impression that it's not just political motives that stand behind the Tymoshenko case, but that there's also a problem that men in power don't want to tolerate the fact that women could have the same power and influence," Harms said at a video linkup conference at the Institute of World Policy in Kyiv on Wednesday.
According to the MEP, Tymoshenko is a real political leader with a lot of qualities that other politicians would like to have.
Harms expressed concern about gender policy in Ukraine. According to her, it is very difficult for women in Ukraine to build a career in politics, business, or any other sphere.
On October 11, 2011, Pechersky District Court in Kyiv sentenced Tymoshenko to seven years in prison for abuse of office in signing gas contracts with Russia in 2009.
The former prime minister is serving her prison term in the Kachanivska penal colony in Kharkiv.
