People’s Deputy of Ukraine, the member of the faction “Batkivshchyna”, the leader of the European Party of Ukraine Mykola Katerynchuk demands a report on the activities of the “Ukravtodor” officials from Azarov`s government. It was announced to the reporters after the Government Day in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, where the ministers answered the questions of factions and People`s Deputies, including the question concerning Ukrainian roads.
“I have tried to ask the question to Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Kozak concerning “Ukravtodor” to get an explanation of disappearing of millions paid by Ukrainians for road maintenance. However, the Speaker did not give me the word. At the same time, foreign experts have calculated that Ukraine has one of the worst roads in the world – we are on 137th place out of 144 possible. Worse roads than in Ukraine are only in 7 countries, including Gabon, East Timor, Guinea, Mongolia and Haiti (from the Global Competitiveness Report prepared by the experts of the World Economic Forum). It is a shame to have such results”. – “There is a unique situation in Ukraine when “Ukrautodor” orders, builds and approves work itself. It is an ideal field for stealing money paid through Ukrainian excise tax on petroleum products”.
“Last year the government of Mykola Azarov informed about the “effective preparation” for the football championship Euro-2012. A separate item concerned the quality of road construction. But the widely advertised roads did not undergo even the first winter. And on many roads asphalt melted with snow. There is no need to speak about the situation in the regions – in most of them roads are totally ruined”- emphasized the MP.
“The government reports of “patch repairs”. But it is another fiction and continuing of money stealing, because “patch repairs” can be done every year spending millions. According to the data of the same World Economic Forum, about 65% of all funds for building roads are being stolen. The problem needs to be solved systematically, there is money for this”, – stated Mykola Katerynchuk.
According to the People`s Deputy, completed work on repair and construction of roads must be approved by street committees in urban areas and rural communities in villages, putting their signatures in the relevant act. “Officials should be always kept under control using all methods – public scrutiny, parliamentary inquiries, etc. Today, the Council was reading my previous request for excessive money spent on reconstruction Postal Square in Kiev. But Ukrainian roads are a “black hole” in the literal sense, where our taxes disappear “, – said Mykola Katerynchuk.
Press Service
European Party of Ukraine