A 600 million loan and expensive toilets: how the Odesa City Council session went

Today, the session hall of the Odesa City Council was the scene of a heated debate: they discussed a UAH 600 million loan, the controversy over the cost of inclusive restrooms, and the enforcement of court orders. The deputies were making decisions that will affect the city's development in the coming years.

Experts will tell more about the events and their consequences live on Intent's YouTube channel.

Valeriy Bolgan, editor-in-chief of Intent, journalist Iryna Hryb and city deputy Oleksandr Slavsky will take part in the discussion. The broadcast will start at 16:00 on Intent's YouTube channel and Facebook page.

The meeting is dedicated to the extraordinary session of the Odesa City Council that took place on August 27. The studio guests will discuss the draft decisions adopted by the city council members and answer questions.

Today, the local authorities in Odesa decided to take out a loan of UAH 623.4 million from Ukreximbank. The funds will be used to modernize medical facilities, build shelters in schools and kindergartens, develop energy infrastructure and repair roads. The loan will be issued in the form of a non-revolving credit line for up to 36 months, with repayment starting in February 2026 and lasting until September 2028.

As Intent 's editor-in-chief Valeriy Bolgan wrote, the decision to borrow more than UAH 600 million at 16.5% is worrisome. The reason is not only the size of the amount or the interest rate, but also the difficult military context. In peacetime, such a loan could be viewed as a development tool, but now any additional debt burden must be justified and justified to the fullest extent possible.

In addition, the city council approved a program with a budget of UAH 663 million for the preservation of historic buildings for 2025-2028. It provides for the restoration of facades, roofs, and comprehensive restoration of monuments, including UNESCO sites.

Instead, the "Barrier-Free Odesa" program almost failed due to a dispute over the cost of inclusive toilets, which cost 5.7 million hryvnias each. After a second vote, the decision was approved.

Every week, Intent. Insight analyzes one topical issue that worries Ukrainians and tries to find ways to solve it. Thus, the live broadcast on July 15 was devoted to the organization of recreation for volunteers. During the discussion, the concept of the Memorial, developed by architect David Pishchev in close cooperation with the military, was also presented.

Анна Літман