President to consider petition to revoke Trukhanov’s citizenship
14 October 09:37
A petition calling for the revocation of the citizenship of Odesa Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov has collected more than 25,000 signatures required for consideration by the head of state, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
The petition titled “On the termination of the citizenship of Ukraine of Odesa Mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov” was registered on October 13. The petition was initiated by Myroslav Otkovych.
As of the morning of October 14, almost 27 thousand people had signed the petition. This means that it is now up to the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy to consider it.
Petition against the mayor of Odesa: what is known
The text of the petition emphasizes that a number of journalistic investigations have previously published information about Trukhanov’s Russian passport and Russian tax number. The author of the petition believes that this may indicate dual citizenship, which is expressly prohibited by the Constitution of Ukraine.
“In the context of a full-scale war with the Russian Federation, this situation creates potential risks to national security and undermines public confidence in local authorities,” the petition says.
In addition, the document states that Trukhanov has repeatedly publicly defended monuments associated with Russian imperial symbols, and his statements in the media allegedly echo narratives favorable to the aggressor state.
“Hennadiy Trukhanov’s advocacy of narratives favorable to the aggressor state in the public space, as well as the defense of monuments containing symbols of Russian imperial policy (according to the officially published list of the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory), only confirms the potential risk of Trukhanov’s activities for the national security and defense of the state,” the petition says.
The petition also mentions the tragedy that occurred in Odesa on September 30, when people died during a heavy rainstorm. The initiators of the appeal believe that the inaction of the city authorities on that day only increased distrust of the mayor.
The authors of the petition call on the President of Ukraine to instruct the competent authorities to verify information about Trukhanov’s possible dual citizenship. If it is confirmed, the mechanisms for deprivation of citizenship provided for by law should be applied.
“We ask you to ensure that the information about Gennadiy Trukhanov’s dual citizenship is verified and, if confirmed, to apply the mechanisms provided for by law. We are convinced that a person who holds the citizenship of the aggressor state cannot hold an elected office in Ukraine,” the petition concludes.
Trukhanov claims provocation
on October 12, Odesa Mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov said that he did not have Russian citizenship and called the spread of such allegations a provocation. According to him, on October 13, a commission under the President of Ukraine may consider revoking his Ukrainian citizenship.
“This issue is not new – it has been raised since 2014. Since 2014, I have constantly explained that I do not have and have never had Russian citizenship. I was checked by all the relevant authorities of Ukraine – all of them. For the first time, at the plenary session of the Verkhovna Rada, Anatoliy Kinakh read out the response of the Russian Consulate (2014), which confirmed that I did not have Russian citizenship. Then, in 2016, at the request of the Migration Service, we also received a response from the consulate that I did not have Russian citizenship. Then, in 2018, the NABU, within the framework of international legal assistance, applied to Russia and received a response, which it made public in court,” Trukhanov said.
on October 13, the Odesa City Council said that Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov was in the city and continued to perform his duties. The mayor’s office has not received any official documents on the possible revocation of his citizenship.
What will happen to the city authorities
According to Article 79 of the Law “On Local Self-Government,” the powers of a city mayor are terminated after the city council adopts a decision taking note of the fact of deprivation of citizenship.
Ihor Koval, the secretary of the city council and a representative of the Servant of the People party, is to temporarily act as mayor.
What are the options for Bankova Street?
Experts do not rule out that if the decision to revoke citizenship is confirmed, the president may create a city military administration in Odesa that is directly subordinate to Kyiv.
However, in this case, the new head will get the city council, which will remain in place and may become opposed to the “president’s man.”
Who is Hennadiy Trukhanov?
Gennadiy Trukhanov has been the mayor of Odesa since 2014 and has been elected three times.
His political career has been marred by accusations of dual passports, business ties to Russia, and criminal cases, including embezzlement in the purchase of the Krayan building.
Trukhanov appeared in the Panama Papers and was a longtime member of the Trust the Deeds party, created on the basis of former members of the Party of Regions.
