Tymoshenko's motivation for signing 2009 gas contract with Russia still unclear, says Yanukovych
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has said that he does not like the fact that former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko is in prison.
"If you want me to say whether I like the fact that Tymoshenko is in prison, I will tell you – of course I don't," he said at a Friday press conference at the Ukrainian House in Kyiv.
The head of state noted that the investigation into the signing of the 2009 gas contract with Russia was initiated in 2009 by then Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko. At the same time, Tymoshenko blocked the access to relevant documents.
"She did not allow access to the documents, she blocked the consideration of the case," the president said.
Yanukovych added that Tymoshenko's motivation for signing of the gas contract still remains unclear.
"Her motivation still remains a mystery. We have not found an answer to this question," he said.
At the same time, the president rejected accusations that the authorities had ordered the imprisonment of Tymoshenko.
"I don't have the right to imprison or release people. The judicial power and law enforcement agencies they assess and investigate [cases]," he said.
