The U.S. Department of State has said that an attempt to strip MP Serhiy Vlasenko from his seat in parliament appears to be politically motivated due to his connection with the imprisoned former prime minister, Yulia Tymoshenko.
“The United States is deeply concerned by recent steps taken in
Ukraine to remove Members of Parliament from the Rada. We note with
particular concern efforts to deprive Serhiy Vlasenko, a Member of
Parliament and defense counsel for former Prime Minister Tymoshenko, of
his seat in Parliament, his corresponding immunity from prosecution, and
his right to travel outside Ukraine. These actions appear to be
politically motivated due to his connection with Mrs. Tymoshenko,” reads
a statement by Patrick Ventrell, the acting deputy spokesperson for the
U.S. State Department.
The U.S. urged Ukrainian authorities to honor the will of Ukrainian
voters as expressed in the October 2012 parliamentary elections.
“We call on the Ukrainian authorities to end politically motivated
prosecutions of opposition leaders and to abide by their international
commitments to the rule of law and democracy,” the statement reads.
The Higher Administrative Court of Ukraine will continue to consider
on Wednesday a lawsuit to deprive Vlasenko of his parliamentary mandate.
