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The actions of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine against the leader of the “Batkivshchyna” faction, Yulia Tymoshenko, bear all the hallmarks of political persecution, aimed not only against a specific political figure but also against the parliament and state power in general. This assessment of the events surrounding the searches, the serving of suspicion, and the publication of the so-called “Tymoshenko tapes” was expressed in an exclusive comment to UNN by political scientist Taras Zahorodnii.
According to him, what is happening looks more like a public information campaign with elements of pressure than a classic investigation. He also links the attack on Yulia Tymoshenko to her public criticism of anti-corruption bodies and to the work of parliamentary control mechanisms, in particular the activities of temporary parliamentary commissions.
If you want to investigate, it should be done quietly. This is an information campaign primarily against the government, against the state. In addition, there is also the Verkhovna Rada commission with Serhiy Vlasenko, which is investigating, among other things, possible corruption in anti-corruption bodies. This is such a revenge, so there is nothing surprising that they are attacking Tymoshenko. Moreover, Tymoshenko openly said that NABU is essentially a system of external control.
Separately, Zahorodnii draws attention to the coincidence of criminal cases and high-profile statements by anti-corruption bodies with the international and military-political context. According to the expert, NABU’s actions are systemic and aimed at weakening state institutions.
The Mindich case coincided with pressure on Ukraine and the appearance of the so-called “Peace Plan”. Then the main task of NABU was to issue suspicions, and for the president to be mentioned in this context. This was pressure, first of all, on the government, for fighting, for giving orders to strike Russian territory. Therefore, NABU is an outright hostile infrastructure that definitely does not work for Ukraine.
Yulia Tymoshenko’s position
Yulia Tymoshenko herself, speaking from the rostrum of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, declared illegal searches and political pressure from law enforcement agencies.
Our entire faction publicly opposed NABU, SAP. Because, in essence, it is an organ of political pressure on politicians, on high-ranking officials. You know that we then proposed that it be an independent body, but appointed by Ukrainians, by some independent structure, so that there would be at least some control over them.
She also noted that the investigators did not provide a court order authorizing the searches and did not allow her to invite a lawyer.
In addition, Tymoshenko stated that she has no relation to the recordings of conversations published by NABU and emphasized that she will prove the groundlessness of the accusations in court.
Recall
NABU and SAP reported suspicion to the head of the Batkivshchyna parliamentary faction, Yulia Tymoshenko. The criminal offense is qualified under Part 4 of Article 369 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – offering or providing an unlawful benefit in a large amount or to an official holding a particularly responsible position.
NABU also published the so-called “Tymoshenko Tapes”, on which, according to the investigation, a woman with a voice similar to Yulia Tymoshenko is recorded discussing the coordination of parliamentary votes and directly offering monthly bribes for “correct” voting for certain decisions of the Verkhovna Rada.
In the recordings published by NABU, a woman with a voice similar to Tymoshenko explains to her interlocutor that before voting, she will personally write in the Signal messenger how exactly to vote: “for” or “against”.
The main idea of this scheme could have been the complete paralysis of the Verkhovna Rada’s work. After all, according to the instructions given by the woman with a voice similar to Tymoshenko, people’s deputies who were offered bribes for parliamentary activity were supposed to vote “for” bringing the issue to consideration, but “abstain” or vote “against” the adoption of a specific decision in order to “kill it”.
In addition, on the “Tymoshenko Tapes”, according to the investigation, the discussion of personnel decisions of the parliament, in particular regarding the removal from office and appointment of ministers, was recorded. A woman with a voice similar to Tymoshenko explained that the main task was to remove ministers, but to block the appointment of new ones.
“And now, regarding personnel matters: we vote “for” the removal and do not vote for the appointment,” – sounds on the “Tymoshenko Tapes”.
