Germany May Boycott Euro-2012 Over Tymoshenko’s Assault
By Ria Novosti
German Chancellor Angela Merkel may order the government to boycott the Euro-2012, hosted by Ukraine, because of the alleged beatings of the jailed former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, Der Speigel reported on Sunday.
According to the weekly, Merkel said she would attend the football championship only if Tymosenko was released from jail.
On Tuesday, Tymoshenko, who suffers from spinal problems, started a hunger strike after prison guards allegedly beat her in the stomach while taking her to hospital by force. She had filed a complaint to the Prosecutor General’s Office.
German Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich who is also responsible for sports sector has recently said that he would attend Euro-2012 that starts on June 8 in Ukraine if he was allowed to visit the former prime minister.
Tymoshenko, who is serving seven years in jail for abuse of office, has severe back pain and cannot walk. Doctors from German clinic Charite who examined her on Friday diagnosed Tymoshenko with “an acute form of herniation of intervertebral disks.”
Berlin is in talks now with Kiev to allow jailed ex-premier to receive treatment in Charite clinic.
Were her spinal problems caused by these beatings, or was it a prior problem now exacerbated? This isn’t clear to me.