Minister will be at Dutch Euro 2012 opener: Rutte

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Friday the country’s sports minister will represent his cabinet at the Netherlands’ Euro 2012 opening match against Denmark in Kharkiv on Saturday.

“Minister (Edith) Schippers and her Danish colleague will be at the first match,” Rutte told journalists at his weekly press conference, adding “I would like to be present at the finals.”

Anger is running high across Europe over the treatment of jailed Ukrainian opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko, the former prime minister, and governments have been putting mounting pressure on Ukraine, which is co-hosting the 2012 European Championships with Poland.

Rutte said a decision was taken to send a representative as Tymoshenko’s “situation changed as a result of international pressure.”

The Netherlands have been drawn in Group B — being contested in Ukraine — along with Denmark, Portugal and Germany.

Tymoshenko was jailed for seven years in October on charges of abuse of power while in office, after a trial that was bitterly criticised by the West as appearing politically motivated.

One of the leaders of the “Orange Revolution” in 2004-05, Tymoshenko narrowly lost to President Viktor Yanukovych in presidential elections last year. The presidency denied any involvement in her trial.

Asked about the squad’s chances of getting to the finals, Rutte added: “I sincerely hope we make the finals. If we could do it at the World Cup (in 2010) we can do it at the Euro Cup as well.”