Spain wins Euro 2012 - Good news and bad news for Ukraine's Yanukovich

[mendeleyev]

From the Mendeleyev Journal...

Kyiv (Kiev) Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich is faced with both good news and bad news. His first bit of good news: A leading prosecutor in Ukraine says that Yanukovich rival and former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko will be charged with crimes (including murder) going back over 15 years ago. Topping all that joy for Ukraine's President who has his own criminal record, the capital city was graced with the presence of several foreign leaders, including the prime ministers of Spain and Italy, at the final game of Euro 2012 the international European cup football soccer championship.

The Spanish team won just in case you're interested.


The Spanish team celebrates their Euro 2012 victory.

Now for Yanukovich's bad news: The Premieres from Spain and Italy asked for a meeting with Tymoshenko, a public embarrassment to Yanukovich. While in Ukraine Prime Ministers Mario Monti, Mariano Rahoy asked to meet with former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko who Yanukovich has imprisoned. According to sources in European diplomatic circles, the two men also send a letter to President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovich, calling for strengthening the rule of law in the country, as well as provide a "positive resolution" of the case Tymoshenko.

Most European leaders believe that Tymoshenko was illegally sentenced to seven years in prison for political reasons and several top EU leaders boycotted Euro 2012 citing the Tymoshenko case. For health reasons she is now hospitalized. Several EU leaders including Polish President Borislaw Komorowski met with opposition leaders regarding the state of Ms. Tymoshenko's health.

More bad news: the Dictator of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko showed up at the game, embarrassing both Yanukovich and the Europeans leaders who have put sanctions in place over human rights violations in Belarus. To make matters worse, Lukashenko declared to all present that he was the invited guest of Ukrainian President Yanukovich which sent Ukrainian officials scrambling to offer quick rebuttals that they had not invited the dictator.

Lukashenko arrived with his son, Nikolai, whom he claimed recently in a Central American visit is being groomed as his successor. In Venezuela recently the 57 year old dictator told Hugo Chavez that "in 20 to 25 years he'll be here to take over the reins." The child is a bastard, the son of Lukashenko's former doctor. Mrs. Lukashenko was banished to live and work on a collective farm several years ago.

Lukashenko in August 2003 declared a ban on the leaders of Belorussian companies, unions and other organizations from calling themselves "president," limiting the use of the title exclusively for himself.




Spanish fans outnumbered the Italians 11,000 to 5,000 at Kyiv (Kiev) stadium with fans snapping up souvenirs on the street. Ukrainians apparently liked the blue Italian shirts better as most shops were out of Italy jerseys by mid-afternoon. Ukrainian authorities set up a public fan zone with room to accommodate up to 140,000 people for the post-game festivities.

Spain's 4-0 victory over Italy in Kiev on Sunday clinched an unprecedented third straight major tournament success for the Spanish team. Spain controlled the ball and midfield to shut out the Italians.

Ukraine co-hosted Euro 2012 with Poland.

[Boethius]

While I agree there needs to be a stronger rule of law in Ukraine (it was moving quite well in that direction until about 2008), why do Western governments believe they have the right to interfere in domestic Ukrainian matters?  Why didn't they ask to meet with Tom DeLay or Rod Blagojevich? 


The rumours of Tymoshenko's involvement in shady dealings and murder go back years, well beyond Yanukovych's presidency.

[Muzh]

While I agree there needs to be a stronger rule of law in Ukraine (it was moving quite well in that direction until about 2008), why do Western governments believe they have the right to interfere in domestic Ukrainian matters?  Why didn't they ask to meet with Tom DeLay or Rod Blagojevich? 

Because we still have the rule of law?

Boe, you know how I feel about Goldilocks. This whole charade is the fault of Yanukonvict and no one else.

I mean, imagine Obama following through with the Spaniards cry to bring Dubya to the international court on charges of crimes against humanity. 

[Boethius]

It is not a charade that Tymoshenko bound Ukraine to a contract despite the fact it was illegal, nor that her $465 million debt to Russia "disappeared" after that contract was signed.
 

[Muzh]

I know and I'm not disputing that. Problem we have here is that Goldilocks was tried in the most corrupt court money could buy and the whole world knows that.

Now, if Exconvict had overhauled the court system..., nah. If he would not have wiped his ass with the existing Ukrainian constitution and then reverted back to the one that gave him absolute power, THEN he would have had a little more credibility in Europe.

But you know what the say, laissez faire, NON