On November 19 during the session during Civil Society Development Forum dedicated to advocacy success stories, OSF Director Ivan Sikora presented the case titled “Metropolitan government shady deals. Mechanisms for community to defend own rights. An example of Mykilska Slobidka in Kyiv".
Ivan Sikora spook about the good old corruption and fraud schemes in illegal construction, which still operate in Kyiv. These schemes were employed during the construction of the residential complex "Sonyachna Riviera" in Mykilska Slobidka.
Ivan’s presentation featured an advocacy campaign against the construction of the mentioned residential complex on the left bank of Dnipro river, near the Cathedral of the Greek Catholic community and metro station Livoberezhna, overseeing Kyiv hills and occupying 7.6 hectares of land.
Mykilska Slobidka illegal construction case includes corruption schemes of manipulations with planning documentation, violation of environmental and land legislation and even neglect of the basic requirements and common sense (the conclusion that Dnipro is a small river and construction can start 50 meters from the shore, which already lead to the cracks in the walls of the Cathedral). Kyiv city authorities remained inactive, as did the State Architectural and Construction Inspection.
In March 2015 the Open Society Foundation held consultations with local activists and initiated the Open Address on this issue. Subsequently the Address was supported by the “Reanimation Package of Reforms” initiative, MPs, journalists (TV program "Schemy"), and the prosecutor's office. There were bloody clashes on construction site. Finally, the court decision stopped the construction. However, after Vitali Klitschko won the local elections, according to the information of civil society activists, the construction works in Mykilska Slobidka had resumed! Speaking of rule of law? Fighting corruption?
Community initiative group of Mykilska Slobidka together with Anatoly Shapoval, a newly elected member of Kyiv city council, organized a flesh-mob during the official opening ceremony of the Forum. It aimed to draw attention of the representative of the President of Ukraine, the Head of the USAID mission in Ukraine and donors' community to the problem of corruption in Kyiv in the sphere of construction, as demonstrated by Mykilska Slobidka case. Learn more about the problem of Mykilska Slobidka here.
Community initiative group of Mykilska Slobidka together with Anatoly Shapoval, a newly elected member of Kyiv city council, organized a flesh-mob during the official opening ceremony of the Forum. It aimed to draw attention of the representative of the President of Ukraine, the Head of the USAID mission in Ukraine and donors' community to the problem of corruption in Kyiv in the sphere of construction, as demonstrated by Mykilska Slobidka case. Learn more about the problem of Mykilska Slobidka here.
Learn more about the activities of the Open Society Foundation targeting the illegal construction and land frauds in Kyiv:
The draft Kyiv General Plan for 2025 must be rejected
Ivan Sikora: The real fight against corruption in Kyiv has to start with illegal construction
