KIEV, April 12 – Parliament, led by President Viktor Yanukovych’s majority, approved new Criminal Code legislation easing punishment for many economic crimes, but not addressing an issue of releasing jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko.

The legislation was approved in the second – and final – reading by 271 lawmakers in the 450-seat Parliament at 4:13 AM on Friday.

Parliament rejected about 4,000 amendments submitted by opposition lawmakers, and spent about five hours to approve 400 articles of the Code. There are a total of 614 articles, some of which have been approved on Tuesday and Wednesday.