On February 1, presidential candidate Yulia Tymoshenko participated in
a televised debate that was shown on the First National Television
Channel, according to Tymoshenko's offiial web-site.
Because her opponent, Viktor Yanukovych, failed to show up,
according to the law, Yulia Tymoshenko was given all the air time
allocated for the debate.
Therefore, Yulia Tymoshenko was given 96 minutes to address all her
questions to her opponent and present her vision for Ukraine after her
victory in the presidential election.
She called Viktor Yanukovych’s refusal to take part in a televised
debate a sign of disrespect to voters and Ukrainian society in general.
"I had hoped all along that he would show up and take the position
that he can answer all questions. But I do not want the leader of our
country to be a person who is simply a coward, who can’t take a hit and
runs from the battlefield," Yulia Tymoshenko said.
"Debates are a competition of intelligence, competition of
[campaign] programs, and the fact that today this competition didn’t
take place is not disrespectful to me, but to you. If we could have
discussed all these strategies, then you would have come to the solid
conclusion that there is only one course, and we will build this
course," the presidential candidate told the television audience.
Yulia Tymoshenko expressed regret over the lack of debate. "I am
now forced to stare at an empty space, and it is important that this
empty space not become president. This would be very disappointing and
wrong," she said.
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