Ukrainian ex-PM Tymoshenko cleared of all gas case chargesJune 25, 2014 - 13:20 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The Ukrainian Supreme Court has cleared party leader and former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko of all charges of signing a gas contract between Ukraine’s Naftogaz and Russia’s Gazprom, the Batkivshina party website announced Tuesday, June 24, according to RIA Novosti. “Tymoshenko’s directive for Ukraine’s Naftogaz delegation to sign the purchase-sale contract on natural gas for [the period of] 2009-2019 cannot be considered as abuse of power. From these norms of the law the Supreme Court has come to the conclusion that in this particular criminal case there is no existence of a crime,” the party said. In 2011, Tymoshenko was sentenced to seven years in jail for abuse of office for personal benefit while signing gas contracts with Russia in 2009. According to the prosecution, the conditions of the agreements caused large-scale material damage to Ukraine’s state-owned Naftogaz amounting to roughly $191 million. The opposition called the sentence politically motivated. In February 2014, the former prime minister was released under a parliamentary decree after the charge she was accused of was decriminalized. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. Aram I supports Karekin II’s “patriotic position” Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I has expressed support for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. |