German doctors who have examined jailed Ukrainian opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko have appealed to the president to let her be moved abroad for treatment.
Karl Einhaeupl, head of Berlin's Charite university hospital, told reporters Friday that his team is skeptical that Ms. Tymoshenko can recover from her back problems if she remains in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian leadership recently proposed Germany sending doctors to treat Ms. Tymoshenko in Ukraine, but Einhaeupl said Ukrainian hospitals have neither the equipment nor the expertise to handle her case.
Ms. Tymoshenko has been on a hunger strike since last week, when she alleges she was beaten by prison guards.
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich said Thursday he has ordered a probe into the allegations. Earlier this week, Ukraine's commissioner for human rights said a personal examination confirmed that Ms. Tymoshenko has bruises on her body.
German President Joachim Gauck has canceled his planned attendance at a meeting in the Ukrainian Black Sea resort of Yalta next month to protest Ms. Tymoshenko's situation. And EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton has announced she is “deeply preoccupied” with Ms. Tymoshenko's health.
The former prime minister has complained of severe back pain and asked for medical treatment monitored by foreign doctors.
Last year, she was sentenced to seven years in jail on charges of abuse of office in a 2009 gas deal with Russia. She is now standing trial on tax evasion charges that could extend her jail time to 12 years.
Ms. Tymoshenko denies the charges and argues they are part of a campaign by President Yanukovich to remove his strongest political rival.
1. SOUNDBITE (German) Karl Max Einhaeupl, head of Charite hospital:
“One of the reasons for this press conference is that the Ukrainian government approached us through their Foreign Minister with the demand to treat Yulia Tymoshenko in the Ukraine.”
2. SOUNDBITE (German) Karl Max Einhaeupl, head of Charite hospital:
“We believe that the hunger strike and the escalation of the situation have worsened the situation of Yulia Tymoshenko. Therefore we think that another judgement about Tymoshenko's current condition from our side is necessary.”
3. SOUNDBITE (German) Karl Max Einhaeupl, head of Charite hospital:
“We are certain that Yulia Tymoshenko is not making this up as we know how painful a slipped disc can be.”
4. SOUNDBITE (German) Karl Max Einhaeupl, head of Charite hospital:
“The main problem of the current therapy is that Yulia Tymoshenko does not trust the Ukrainian medical system. ”
5. SOUNDBITE (German) Karl Max Einhaeupl, head of Charite hospital:
“I can tell you that we have major doubts that a therapy that we are asked to do in the Ukraine will be successful.”
6. SOUNDBITE (German) Norbert Haas, head of center for skeletal surgery:
“Treatment will take weeks and months because the condition of Yulia Tymoshenko is already chronic.”
7. SOUNDBITE (German) Karl Max Einhaeupl, head of Charite hospital:
“I appeal to the Ukrainian president to be guided by humanitarian values and let her travel abroad to Europe to receive treatment.”
1. PROF. KARL MAX EINHAEUPL, HEAD OF BERLIN'S CHARITE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
“We are ready to receive Mrs. Tymoshenko here. The
Ukrainian authorities would have to be ready to suspend the
prison sentence, at least for a limited period of time to
take her to Germany.''
2. (SOUNDBITE) (German) HEAD OF BERLIN'S CHARITE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, PROF. KARL MAX EINHAEUPL, SAYING:
“One of the main arguments is that she refuses to have
any kind of injections or to have blood samples taken. This
has often led to surprise why she refused. She says that
her former interior minister became ill with hepatitis in
prison and that he only got hepatitis in prison, that he
did not have it before. We did not verify that and that's
not our job. But at least it means for her that she has
considerable fear that she could experience something
similar.''
3. (SOUNDBITE) (German) HEAD OF BERLIN'S CHARITE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, PROF. KARL MAX EINHAEUPL, SAYING:
“I can tell you that we have considerable doubt that we
will be able to carry out a successful therapy in Ukraine.
You have to know that in the meantime, the entire process
has become what we doctors call permanent, meaning that
physical changes took place which make it a lot more
difficult to successfully carry out this rehabilitation.''
4. (SOUNDBITE) (German) HEAD OF BERLIN'S CHARITE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, PROF. KARL MAX EINHAEUPL, SAYING:
“I would appeal to the Ukrainian president to be a
president who respects humanitarian values and to let her
leave to receive treatment abroad in Europe.''
5. (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN, STEFFEN SEIBERT, SAYING:
“As you know, the German government is doing everything
we can for Mrs. Tymoshenko to finally receive an adequate,
necessary and thorough medical treatment. Germany's offer
for this treatment to take place here in Germany remains.
There can be no talk of a threat. The chancellor so far has
not made any concrete plans to travel to the Euro 2012 (in
Poland and Ukraine). The timing of the Euro 2012 is
politically very busy here in Germany, just ahead of the
Bundestag (parliament) summer break. So a decision will be
taken at short notice. Of course, further developments in
Ukraine surrounding the Tymoshenko case will play a part in
this decision.''
