Deputies of the European Parliament claim that Ukraine is governed by oligarchs, and according to them, it prevents the country from developing.

This issue was raised during the debates on the current situation in Ukraine and Yulia Tymoshenko’s case at European Parliament on May 22.

Thus, EP deputy Michael Gahler, from a group of national parties in Germany, reminded that President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych together with his family and friends are getting more and more power.

He drew attention to the appointment of Yanykovych’s protégés to the post of minister of internal affairs, as heads of the State Tax Service and to the National Bank of Ukraine.
 

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“Yanykovych’s son, his family and friends are thinking just about filling their pockets,” Michael Gahler said.

In his opinion, their assets should be frozen, “Cyprus—is a very good place to find out these assets,” he said.

His colleague from a group of national parties, Deputy Andrey Kovachev (Bulgaria), underlined that the main obstacle on the European road for Ukraine is not Tymoshenko’s case, but Ukrainian oligarchs.

In his turn, a deputy of the green group of parties, Werner Schulz, suggested to take control over Ukrainian budget for the Euro 2012 final matches.

Meanwhile, the united left coalition group representative Yaromir Kolichek (Czech Republic) criticized EU members for giving political asylum to Ukrainian politicians. “We shouldn’t give asylum to swindlers,” he announced.

His harsh criticism was pointed at a well-known case, when the Czech Republic gave political asylum to former minister of the economy, Bogdan Danilishin, and Tymoshenko’s husband, Alexander.
 
 
The Turkish Weekly
 
 
09.07.2012