Prosecutors reopen bribery case against Ukraine’s former prime minister

Bribery probe vs former Ukrainian leader reopened

KIEV, Ukraine — Ukrainian prosecutors say they are reopening a bribery investigation involving former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko that was suspended in 2005.

Tymoshenko helped spearhead the Orange Revolution that brought the Western-leaning Viktor Yushchenko to the presidency in 2005. She became his first prime minister.

Thereafter, prosecutors ceased investigating whether she had tried to bribe a judge to end court proceedings against a former associate from the now-defunct Unified Energy Systems.

Tymoshenko headed the company before becoming deputy prime minister in 1999.

Prosecutors said Wednesday the case against her has been reopened, and Tymoshenko, who lost to Viktor Yanukovych in this year’s presidential race, said the move is politically motivated.