Tymoshenko: court's ruling on illegality of first gas price increase means that the rest increases are also illegal
Presidential candidate, leader of the Batkivschyna Party Yulia Tymoshenko declares that the ruling by the District Administrative Court of Kyiv on the illegality of gas price increases for the population by the government in 2016 is a big victory, which indicates that all further pricing was also unreasonable.
"This is a fateful trial which lasted for more than two years. They could not make a decision for a long time, since the judges panel was under fierce pressure. But in the end, it made two decisions: the price was set illegally by the government (No. 315 of 2016) and is unreasonable," said Tymoshenko during a meeting with chief editors of local media in Khmelnytsky on Tuesday, the press service of Batkivschyna reported.
The politician explained that the ruling, which the court overturned and declared illegal, is no longer valid, because after it new rulings on new gas prices were passed. At the same time, she expressed conviction that if the first increase in the price of gas was recognized by the court as illegal, this means that the rest of increases are also illegal.
"This is a big victory," the presidential candidate of Ukraine said.
"She debunked the 'myth' which the authorities imposed on Ukrainians that the gas price was supposedly market-based. She assured that it is 100% monopolistic and established by a government decree - there is no such thing anywhere in the world."
The leader of Batkivschyna is convinced that the president himself is politically responsible for the gas price hike, because it is by his decree that the members of the National Commission for Energy, Housing and Utilities Services Regulation of Ukraine (NCER) are appointed, who set tariffs.
"For five years the government has been telling us that we do not consume Russian gas. But it's a hoax. What is called European gas, is in fact Russian gas, which is resold through intermediaries with overpayment to Ukrainians," Tymoshenko said, adding that if she wins the presidential elections in Ukraine, those responsible for the robbery of people will be brought to justice.
