Former Ukraine PM released from jail

Kiev, Feb 22 (IANS/ITAR -TASS) Former Ukraine prime minister Yulia Timoshenko was released from jail Saturday, a media report said.

Relatives have left for the east Ukrainian city of Kharkov to meet her.

Timoshenko will be also met by representatives of the European Parliament, Timoshenko's daughter, Yevgeniya, told Verkhovna Rada, the country's parliament.

The parliament had voted for her release Friday after she was sentenced to jail in October 2011 over an alleged corruption case

"In compliance with international law and in compliance with Ukrainian law my mother is a free person," Tyebgeniya said.

"We're leaving for Kharkov to meet her," she added.

Hours earlier Saturday, Tymoshenko's ally Alexandr Turchinov was elected parliament speaker after his predecessor Volodymyr Rybak resigned due to health reasons, Xinhua reported.

The 49-year-old Turchinov served as the first deputy prime minister in Tymoshenko's government from 2007 to 2010.

--IANS/ITAR-TASS

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