KIEV, October 24 - RAPSI. The Ukrainian tax police has formally resumed its investigation into the $2.5 million tax evasion case against former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, Prosecutor General's Office Press Secretary Yuriy Boichenko told journalists.

"This is the fourth criminal case against Tymoshenko. It was initiated in 2001, but then closed following the outbreak of the 'Orange Revolution.' Now, the Prosecutor General's Office thinks the case was closed unlawfully," he added.

A Kiev district court sentenced Tymoshenko on October 11 to seven years in prison for abuse of power in signing gas contracts between Ukraine's Naftogaz and Russia's Gazprom in 2009 and ordered her to compensate Naftogaz for losses. The judge declared that Tymoshenko abused her powers when she served as prime minister and issued directives regarding gas contract negotiations in Moscow, which were not properly documented, and without the government's consent.