乌克兰前总理将出庭受审滥权指控

Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko will stand trial in Kyiv on Wednesday, charged with abuse of power.

乌克兰前总理季莫申科星期三将在基辅就滥用职权指控出庭。

The former prime minister, known as the “Iron Lady,” is accused of abuse of power in connection with a contract she signed with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin after a gas dispute with Russia in early 2009.

这位外号“铁娘子”的前总理被指控滥用职权。她2009年年初与俄罗斯发生天然气争端后，和俄罗斯总理普京签署了一项合同。她受到的指控与这项合同有关。

Ukrainian officials allege Ms. Tymoshenko caused the former Soviet republic to lose nearly $200 million when she signed the new energy agreement with Mr. Putin after a brief interruption in gas deliveries.

乌克兰官员指称，在俄罗斯向乌克兰短暂中断输送天然气后，季莫申科和普京签署了新的能源协议，此举造成乌克兰损失将近两亿美元。

Ukrainian officials also say Ms. Tymoshenko forced the president of Naftogaz to sign the deal with Russia’s Gazprom.

乌克兰官员还说，季莫申科强迫乌克兰天然气公司(Naftogaz)总裁和俄罗斯的天然气公司(Gazprom)签约。

Ms. Tymoshenko says she is innocent and denounced Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych as a rival who fears political competition. She says frame-up trials against her are taking place uninterrupted and will continue until the next parliamentary elections to prevent her from participating in politics and from helping people.

季莫申科说，她是清白的，并谴责乌克兰总统亚努科维奇是畏惧政治竞争的对手。她说，意图诬陷她的指控一直没间断过，而且还会持续到下次议会选举，以便阻止她参政和帮助人们。

The former prime minister narrowly lost to Mr. Yanukovych in last year’s presidential elections. Ms. Tymoshenko became an international figure in 2004, with her trademark braids, as a leader of the “Orange Revolution.” The street demonstrations effectively ended Mr. Yanukovych’s first bid for the presidency.

这位前总理在去年总统大选中以微少差距输给了亚努科维奇。季莫申科2004年以桔色革命领导人身份，以及一头招牌辫子成为国际知名人物。街头示威有效地阻止了亚努科维奇首次的总统竞选。

Ms. Tymoshenko says Mr. Yanukovych is the instigator of what she called a “crooked” court action that will likely convict her of abuse of power charges.

季莫申科说，亚努科维奇背后策划了这个她称为“不正当”的法律行动。这个法律行动可能会以滥用职权将她定罪。

The charges carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

这项罪名最高可判处十年徒刑。