Yulia Tymoshenko
Komorowski had appealed to Ukrainian authorities to amend the legal code so that politicians are not tried for political activity under criminal law.
However, Volodymyr Olijnyk, an MP from Ukraine's ruling Party of Regions, rejected the suggestion in a statement on the party's web site.
“Our colleagues in Europe should understand that Tymoshenko is geing held responsible for exceeding her official powers, and not for taking a political decision,” he declared.
Tymoshenko was sentenced in October 2011 for exceeding her powers as prime minister in a 2009 deal with Russian gas giant Gazprom.
“If Ukraine was to decriminalise the article under which the former prime minister was sentenced, the country would be thrown into political chaos,” the MP claimed.
Nevertheless, Olijnyk thanked Komorowski for his efforts to discourage a boycott of any part of the Euro 2012 tournament, an event due to be co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine in June.
“We should thank President Komorowski, who understands that there is no sense in mixing sport and politics,” he wrote.
Olijnyk is the only official Ukrainian voice to have commented on Komorowski's appeal to date.
Meanwhile, Jerzy Buzek, former President of the European Parliament, told Polish public broadcaster TVP that Ukraine's role in hosting the Euro 2012 tournament should not be meddled with.
“Under no circumstances can there be any question of Ukraine having the championships taken away from them – not even one match,” he said.
Last week, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, leader of Polish opposition party Law and Justice, appealed for Uefa to move the final match from Kiev to Warsaw, and called for a boycott of games held in Ukraine.
In spite of opposing alterations to Ukraine's role as host, Buzek acknowledged that he respects the stance of European dignitaries who have threatened not to attend games in Ukraine on account of Tymoshenko's plight.
“This shows that not everything is as it should be in Ukraine and that we are manifesting our opposition,” he said.
Tymoshenko is currently in hospital after ending a twenty-day hunger strike. (nh)