Forest Reserve ‘Cut Down to Build Gas Station’

During the night of August 22 unknown individuals logged part of the Bychok forest reserve, which is part of Holosiivskyi National Park. Activist Mykhailo Pohrebyskyi reported on Facebook.

"The gangsters promised to shoot locals who were woken up by the chain saws. People are scared and the situation is difficult. There are 150 titushky around the place," — he wrote.

Pohrebyskyi stressed that part of the natural boundary Bychok was illegally leased to Avesta-Bud, LLC contrary to the provisions of the Law on natural reserves. The case on termination of the illegal lease agreement is currently being investigated by the court.

According to Pohrebyskyi on August 19 there was a meeting in Holosiivskyi District Administration moderated by the Head of the Administration Natalia Bondar. Representatives of Avesta-Bud promised locals and activists to freeze any construction works until August 26.

"Now it turns that was just a maneuver to distract attention. The Head of District Administration Bondar took the side of the fraudsters and is lobbying their interests," — the activist claims.

According member of Kyiv City Council Ruslan Andriyko, the trees were destroyed to build an OKKO gas station. He asked for everybody, especially citizens of Kyiv who are drivers and who care for the nature of Ukraine, to boycott OKKO.

According to Nashi Groshi, on October 28, 2010 Kyiv City Council and Avesta-Bud entered into a lease contract for a land parcel of 2.65 ha valuated at ₴8.44 million. The term of the lease is 10 years.

Photo by Nashi Groshi

The parcel was allocated to build office buildings with hotels, food courts, parking lots, car salons and service stations, etc. ‘with the condition that recreation areas, playgrounds and green zones must be created’. According to the map from the now-defunct website of Holosyivskyi National Park, the parcel lies within the park boundaries.

The owners of Avesta-Bud are ex-member of Zakarpatska Oblast Council and Party of Regions Vasyl Ihnatko and Active-Trans Skhid, LLC which is owned by Kiralena Holdings Limited (Cyprus).

Currently the United State Register of Legal Entities, Individual Entrepreneurs and Public Organizations of Ukraine lists Yuriy Ihnatko as the founder of Avesta-Bud. This is the name of the son of Ihnatko Senior.

Source: Ukrayinska Pravda. Kyiv