Yulia Tymoshenko banned from communicating with two Odesa MPs

On January 16, the High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine imposed a preventive measure on Yulia Tymoshenko, MP and leader of the Batkivshchyna party, and banned her from communicating with 65 members of the Servant of the People faction.

The list, published by the Anti-Corruption Action Center, includes two MPs from Odesa region - Yulia Didenko, who is also the wife of the head of the Odesa Regional Council, and Oleksandr Horeniuk.

The court also imposed a number of procedural obligations on the suspect, such as to appear when summoned by the court, investigator or prosecutor, not to leave Kyiv region, and to report changes of residence or work.

It is worth noting that Yulia Didenko and her husband Hryhoriy Didenko are themselves involved in an investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine - they are suspected of concealing property worth UAH 8 million.

As for Yulia Tymoshenko, the High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine imposed a bail of UAH 33 million 280 thousand on her. The Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office requested a bail of UAH 50 million.

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office reported that Yulia Tymoshenko was found guilty of corruption. According to the NABU, the politician was caught offering undue benefits to a group of MPs from other factions for voting for or against certain bills.

The preliminary legal classification of the case is part 4 of Article 369 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - offering, promising or giving an unlawful benefit to an official who holds a particularly responsible position. The sanction of this article provides for a fine or imprisonment for up to four years.

Before the court hearing on January 16, Yulia Tymoshenko said that her accounts were blocked, so she would not be able to pay bail herself.

On January 14, Tymoshenko confirmed the searches in her party office, which she said lasted all night, and said she denied all charges. She also called the NABU investigation a political order.

Кирило Бойко