KIEV, June 11 – Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko on Thursday refused to dispute a statement by Parliamentary Speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn over leaked constitutional amendments that had anticipated postponing elections, restricting liberties and the freedom of speech.

Lytvyn said Tuesday the controversial amendments, secretly negotiated and agreed between Tymoshenko and Regions Party leader Viktor Yanukovych, were “authentic” to those that had been leaked to the media days earlier.

“Concerning the statement by Volodymyr Mykhaylovych Lytvyn,” Tymoshenko said in an interview with Channel 5 late Thursday. “You know, I have gone through so much in politics. Now, I am in the same coalition with Lytvyn, and you know, I don’t want to comment. I don’t want to escalate tensions, I don’t want to confront.”

The issue is important as it highlights the nature of the amendments that could have been approved by restricting democracy and leading to a major political showdown later this year.

The amendments, which were supposed to be approved this week, collapsed after Yanukovych had quit the talks with Tymoshenko at the final stage on Sunday.

Tymoshenko, on a desperate attempt to contain political damage, has been so far vigorously denying the amendments had called for postponing elections and restricting liberties.

Lytvyn joined a meeting with Tymoshenko and Yanukovych last week on Thursday, at which he said he was asked to support the amendments that had been already agreed.

Lytvyn refused and the draft with the amendments was later leaked the media, causing a storm of criticism.

The amendments called for electing the next president – expected to be Yanukovych - in Parliament, scrapping a popular vote months before it was due.

The amendments also sought to extend duties of incumbent lawmakers by two years through the spring of 2014, suggesting there would be no general elections in the meantime, leaving Tymoshenko as the prime minister.

The amendments also sought to allow the authorities shut down media outlets for “disinformation of the society,” among other controversial features.

Tymoshenko on Tuesday accused President Viktor Yushchenko, her politicalrival, for “destroying” her constitutional alliance with Yanukovych.

But on Thursday Tymoshenko also accused Yushchneko of “arranging” her talks with Yanukovych, and then destructing the alliance.

“Now, as everything has been destroyed, sometimes I think maybe Yanukovych and Yushchenko have colluded to get me involved in the negotiations,” Tymoshenko said.

“I think maybe they got me involved consciously in order to discredit,” Tymoshenko said. “Maybe this has been planned on purpose?”

“But I want to tell these people, both Viktors, that you can do this to Tymoshenko,” she said. “Maybe they have such moral, such consciousness, and such level of behavior, but you cannot do this to the country.” (tl/ez)