Mezhyhiria is no longer accessible for a walk: reasons
15 July 2024 16:55
Today, 15 July, the process of transferring the assets of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych seized by the court to the management of the Mezhyhirya State Park and Monument has been completed. Currently, the territory of the park complex is temporarily closed to visitors due to organisational measures and technical checks, reports
It is noted that the signing of the transfer documents was the final event in the work of the interdepartmental commission, which had been working on the site for two months.
As a reminder, on 29 April, when the process of transferring the seized property, which was transferred to ARMA by a court decision, was to begin, unidentified persons blocked the entrance to the park and did not allow members of the interagency commission to enter the territory, making it impossible for it to work.
Subsequently, a representative of the NGO Mezhyhiria, which had been responsible for the preservation of the park’s property since 2014, joined the commission. This made it possible to unblock the situation that arose on 29 April, when unknown persons prevented the opening of the park.
The special commission inspected more than 25,000 movable property items located in 121 buildings and structures. The largest object in terms of movable property, with more than 3,600 items, is the main building of the monument park, namely the Honka Museum, which has an area of 3,100 square metres and 76 rooms inside.
The second largest movable property, with 3,180 items, is the Sports and Recreation Complex, with an area of 2,200 square metres and 112 rooms.
In the course of its work, the commission also identified more than 500 valuable movable property items that are an integral part of the park complex of the state park-monument but have not been previously described. In particular, we are talking about works of art, icons, stained-glass windows in the church, bas-reliefs, interior items, chandeliers, etc., as well as additional water supply and heating systems, i.e. valuable property that will also be collected as state revenue.
The NGO “NPU Mezhyhirya” stated that the mission to preserve Mezhyhirya was completed.
“The mission of the NGO NPU Mezhyhirya to store Yanukovych’s seized movable property is over. on 12 July 2024, the SAPO prosecutor relieved us of responsibility and signed an act of acceptance and transfer of the seized property to the ARMA, and the ARMA at the same time transferred the property to the state institution of the Park-Monument of Landscape Art. The park under the management of the NGO “NPU “Mezhyhirya” no longer operates and is not responsible for the property and condition of the park,”
– the organisation said in a statement.
The activists noted that the state-owned Mezhyhirya Park and Monument has assumed responsibility for the park’s further operation and for the safety of property and animal life.
Currently, the territory of the park complex is temporarily closed to visitors due to organisational measures and technical checks .
In particular, the park’s staff, together with veterinarians from the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection, are conducting a veterinary examination of animals and birds living in the park.
The Mezhyhirya Special Administration expressed gratitude to all the activists who have been looking after the park complex since 2014. Employees who have been working on a volunteer basis are offered official employment in a state institution.
It is noted that from the moment of the official opening, all revenues from the functioning of the state-owned Mezhyhiria will go to the state treasury.
“It is important that for the first time in 10 years, all revenues from the operation of the Mezhyhiria Park-Monument will go to the state treasury,”
– the state agency said.
The next stage in the organisation of the full-fledged work of the state Mezhyhirya is the transfer of real estate (buildings) located on the territory to the management of the park-monument.
The official opening of the state Mezhyhirya to visitors will be announced on the website of the Mezhyhirya Park and other official resources.
According to media reports, the transfer of the territory, movable and immovable property is ongoing, and activists claim that they bought some equipment at the expense of benefactors who helped by transferring aid to the NGO’s accounts. Therefore, some equipment that is currently physically located on the territory of Yanukovych’s former residence must be removed from there, as it is on the balance sheet of the NGO.
Mezhyhirya
“Mezhyhirya is the former residence of Viktor Yanukovych in the village of Novi Petrivtsi, Vyshhorod district, Kyiv region, which he occupied from 2002 to 2014. Until 1935, it was an Orthodox monastery and then a state residence.
In 2007, during Yanukovych’s presidency, Mezhyhirya was transferred to private ownership.
on 22 February 2014, Maidan Self-Defence units occupied the residence, which Yanukovych had left the day before and disappeared in an unknown direction. Journalists and some Maidan participants immediately began filming the premises and the territory of the residence, which covered more than 130 hectares.
Among the items found, as well as those that had not been removed or destroyed, were:
- “black books” – documents proving violations of the law, embezzlement of state property, tax evasion, bribery of judges and various bribes, including in tenders. Many of them are related to the Tantalite company, which at the time belonged to Kliuyev, and the Renaissance of Ukraine charity foundation. The documents contain information on the costs of building Mezhyhirya, payment for various items for the construction and decoration of the residence, as well as cash receipts. The journalists immediately started digitising, sorting and studying the documents.
- A life-size golden loaf.
- Gold coins with the inscription “HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, Viktor Fedorovich. NEW MINERAL HORIZONS FOR YOU”, as well as empty boxes for storing medals.
- Silver gilded hryvnia banknotes.
- Dossiers and targeting of Maidan activists and journalists.
- Weapons, live ammunition, combat checkers, hunting darts recovered by divers.
- Church icons of historical value.
- Two car fleets with cars worth between $100,000 and $800,000, motorcycles, children’s and ladies’ bicycles. According to the spokesperson for the Anti-Corruption Committee, Oleksandr Gerasymov, some of the rare cars originated from the Dovzhenko Film Studio and ended up in Mezhyhirya due to a fraudulent deal by the studio’s director, Ihor Stavchansky, who is linked to the so-called Yanukovych Family.
- Among other things, the activists found beehives made in the colours of the Ukrainian flag; stuffed birds of prey crucified on wooden crosses.
The next day, a guided tour of Mezhyhirya was organised for everyone. Thousands of visitors saw a chic large house made of granite and wood, containing porcelain dishes with gilded spoons and forks, gilded toilets and washbasins, expensive candlesticks, clocks and chandeliers; several exquisite smaller houses; artificial lakes with working fountains; a swimming pool; a tennis court; a golf course; a zoo; greenhouses; and farms.
According to representatives of the Self-Defence, there have been no cases of looting or clashes on the territory of Mezhyhiria, but some visitors have taken souvenirs such as pens and bathrobes.
After the Revolution of Dignity, an NGO took over the management of the park.
Since 2014, and on his own initiative, an individual, a representative of the NGO, has been responsible for the storage of the seized property of Mezhyhiria, which was located in the park and managed it for more than 10 years.
Over the years, all the wealth of the Mezhyhiria residence of fugitive President Viktor Yanukovych has not been nationalised, and the territory itself has begun to cause damage to the state.
In January 2019, investigative journalists reported that the tender for the management of Mezhyhiria was not transparent. The competition for the manager has been postponed several times.
on 14 July 2023, Mezhyhiria was returned to state ownership, and a new nature reserve fund was created on its territory with 138.6 hectares of land.
In December 2023, a high-profile scandal erupted when the Bureau of Economic Security exposed a group of people, allegedly from NGOs, who used the premises of Viktor Yanukovych’s former residence in the Mezhyhiria National Park to produce counterfeit food.
Special equipment was used for mass production and packaging of sweets, coffee, groceries (spices, coffee and cocoa products, instant noodles), waffles, chewing gum and other counterfeit products.
The BES searched warehouses in Kyiv and the region, as well as premises on the territory of Mezhyhirya, and found automatic packaging and labelling lines, packaging containers with logos of well-known brands, large volumes of raw materials used to make counterfeit products, products without documentary evidence, etc.
In addition, it was established that the clandestine production in Mezhyhiria used the facilities, including electricity, of the National Park.
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