NABU Serves Suspicion Notice to Tymoshenko: Agents Detail 'Voice Resemblance' Tapes

Tymoshenko's Statement on Corruption Case Suspicion

According to Главком: Yulia Tymoshenko, leader of the Batkivshchyna party, published a statement on her Facebook page announcing that she has been served with a notice of suspicion in a corruption case. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and prosecutors from the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) stated on January 13 that they had documented illegal activity by the head of one of the parliamentary factions. The very next day, January 14, anti-corruption authorities conducted searches at the Batkivshchyna party office, and Tymoshenko was formally notified of the suspicion against her.

Case Details

According to NABU, the case concerns negotiations about rewarding Members of Parliament for voting a certain way. Tapes obtained during the investigation allegedly contain a recording where a person with a voice resembling Tymoshenko's proposes a reward. The recording reportedly mentions a sum of $10,000 for two sessions, to be paid in advance. Investigators claim voting instructions were to be delivered via the Signal messaging app.

In her statement, Tymoshenko emphasized what she calls political persecution by law enforcement. She asserted that Judge Dubas is carrying out a 'political order from the country's new corrupt owners' and that her team possesses irrefutable evidence of violations by this judge.

'This judge has adopted the worst practices from Kireyev: justice is nothing, a political order is everything.' Yulia Tymoshenko

Furthermore, she stressed that if NABU, SAPO, and the High Anti-Corruption Court are fabricating a case against her, her team plans to publicize every unjust step they take for Ukraine and the entire world. 'We will not allow them to conceal even the smallest violations; we are closely monitoring every word, every procedural action,' Tymoshenko noted.

NABU's version states that the rules for voting on personnel appointments stipulated that all dismissals were to be voted for, while new appointments were to be ignored. This information has become a key aspect of the case, which continues to generate significant public resonance. An appeals court has issued a new ruling in Tymoshenko's case, indicating further developments in this high-profile investigation.

The situation surrounding Yulia Tymoshenko and the corruption allegations has sparked lively debate in Ukrainian society. This case is not only about the politician herself but also raises questions about the state of anti-corruption bodies and their role in the country's political life. The ongoing investigation could have a significant impact on future political processes in Ukraine and on public trust in state institutions. Tymoshenko is a former prime minister and a long-standing, polarizing figure in Ukrainian politics, making any legal action against her a major national event.