Ukraine's Parliament votes down Tymoshenko release bill February 8, 2012 - 15:39 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Ukraine's Parliament, the Rada, voted down a draft bill on Wednesday, February 8 that would have decriminalized article 365 of the Ukrainian legal code on exceeding authority, under which former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko was convicted last October, RIA Novosti reported. One hundred and fifty deputies voted for the bill, but 226 voted against. The main forces behind the demise of the bill were the pro-presidential Party of the Regions, the Communists and the National Party, whose leader Vladimir Litvin is speaker of the Rada. Tymoshenko was convicted and sentenced to seven years in prison in October 2011 for exceeding her authority in signing a gas deal with Russia in 2009. The deal obliged Ukraine to buy larger amounts of gas than it now needs, and at higher prices than it says is fair. Ukraine has since consistently sought revision of the deal. Western leaders have denounced the trial as a political witch-hunt against her, a charge President Viktor Yanukovych denies.   Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. 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".   Partner news |  Latest news Putin congratulates Pashinyan’s birthday  Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his birthday on June 1.Opposition motorcade en route to Gyumri for large rally A motorcade of protesters headed by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan is heading to the city of Gyumri.Ruling MPs, Foreign Minister talk Armenia-Azerbaijan processes MOs from the ruling Civil Contract party met with the Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in the Armenian parliament.Russia: Armenia’s frozen membership weakens CSTO position in Caucasus A Russian envoy said any step that could alienate the CSTO member states from each other is “deeply wrong”. |
