Pawel Kowal, chairman of the EU Parliament Delegation in the EU-Ukraine Parliamenatary Cooperation Committee and his assistant Aleksander Grabczewski visited the former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, leader of the Fatherland Party on April 5 in the Kachanivska penal colony, and on April 6 they went to visit Yurii Lutsenko in Lukianivska detention facility. After the visit Kowal “stopped by” the EU Delegation in Ukraine, where he met with the leader of the People’s Movement of Ukraine Borys Tarasiuk. From there he went to the airport to catch his flight to Warsaw. Despite his tight schedule he agreed to answer some questions for The Day and tell us about his impressions after visiting Tymoshenko and Lutsenko and his vision of the way to break the deadlock created by the Ukrainian authorities after they put the opposition leaders to prison.
“I admit that we spoke about this too. There are different opinions about this situation. If to speak about diplomats and politicians of the European Union as well as Ukrainian politicians, it makes no sense that I would meet with Tymoshenko and Lutsenko and later would publicly comment on this issue turning it into a show.
“I can only say that those meetings made a huge impression on me. Those were meetings with politicians, who even in difficult circumstances speak not only about their own problems, but also about Ukrainian affairs, human rights, and about their desire for Ukraine to move faster towards Europe. They feel that they have support of European politicians – politicians of good will who wish Ukraine good.
“What we really can do is expressing our opinion about the possible way out of this deadlock.
“That is why I do not want to go into details of their health condition and of the tangent legal aspects because it would make no sense. For example, Lutsenko asked not to make the question of his health the subject of the meeting.
“As for Tymoshenko, I can tell you about what I have seen. I am not a doctor and, thus, I can only say that she laid their motionless and confirmed that she can not move and that she can sit or stand only for a short period of time.
“During our meeting Tymoshenko was lying still. However, she was in a good mood and we talked normally about politics. She understands everything perfectly well, is well oriented, and makes decisions as a member of the political process and it is very important.”
Does Tymoshenko know that Germany is offering to take her in for treatment but only on the condition that she receives pardon from the president? What does she think about it?
“I do not know what of the options she is ready to pursue. But one thing is clear for sure that both she and Lutsenko need immediate medical treatment. And we must do everything possible so that they could have such opportunity.”
As a member of the European Parliament what do you think about this information that the problem of Tymoshenko and Lutsenko could be solved by granting them pardon and letting them receive medical treatment abroad?
“I think there are four or even five legal options for solving Tymoshenko’s problem. If there are those who might need them, I could share my vision but I would not comment on them publicly because it would make no sense. We should help both sides. The most important thing is that you can only help those who want to receive help. In any case, such assistance should be offered. I think it is the work of diplomats and politicians to show that there are possible ways out of this deadlock. However, Tymoshenko and Lutsenko realize that now this problem is considered in political dimension. There has to be willingness on the other side of the political dispute, too. If that would be the case then it is most likely that a solution will be found.
“I am very happy I managed to meet with Tymoshenko and Lutsenko. This was my personal initiative. I am glad that the General Prosecutor’s Office accepted my arguments and those meetings were politically approved. I think, it was good for Ukraine to show that despite the existing situation there are possibilities for the EU representatives to bring the message of hope and we expect to receive the same kind of message back.”
You have said that there are four legal ways to solve this problem. In the interview for The Day political analyst Viktor Nebozhenko said that at the present moment there are already no legal ways to resolve this issue, the only one left is political. What do you think about this?
“I can say for sure that there are four or five legal solutions to this problem, but all of them require political will.”
