UK Says No Ministers At Euro 2012 Group Games
BRITAIN’S government sent no ministers to the early matches of the Euro 2012 soccer tournament amid concerns about the jailing of former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
Tymoshenko’s case had become a political flashpoint as Ukraine prepared to co-host the European Championship with Poland which began June 8.
She has been sentenced to seven years in prison for abuse of office. But Western leaders have condemned the verdict as politically motivated and urged Ukraine to free her.
The Foreign Office said in a statement last month that for the time being no senior level officials would be attending the group games.
Officials say they would keep their attendance at later stages under review after “widespread concerns about selective justice and the rule of law in Ukraine.”
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