Dec. 9, 2023, 4:04 p.m.
(Photo: Volodymyr Samaychuk/Facebook)
On Saturday, December 9, about a hundred Odessans came out to protest against the procurement of goods and services from the state budget, which the protesters consider inappropriate in wartime.
Odessans are holding posters reading "All money for the Armed Forces" and banners with the words "The authorities have made a holiday for tax evaders on the blood of defenders."
This is the 15th Saturday rally in a row.
On December 2, Odesa residents also came to the city hall. So the actions continue despite the fact that on November 25, Kateryna Nozhevnikova, an Odesa volunteer and head of the Monster Corporation charity foundation , decided to stop rallying near the Odesa municipality building against procurement, which she believes is inappropriate during the war.
Kateryna Nozhevnikova also noted that her decision was caused by the fact that the deputies finally fulfilled the demand that started the protests, namely, the budget committee decided to recommend to their colleagues to cancel the decision to allocate UAH 12 million for the repair of the Kyiv District Court of Odesa during the session.
The Odesa City Council was going to spend UAH 106 million to repair the building of the Kyiv District Court of Odesa, while in 2019 it had already been reconstructed for about UAH 33 million.
After the Odesa City Council approved the allocation of 106 million for the repair of the Kyiv District Court, Kateryna Nozhevnikova, head of the Monster Corporation charity foundation, announced a picket outside the Odesa City Council.
The single picket of the Odesa volunteer turned into a mass rally because of the desire of Odesa residents to support the volunteer.
It is worth noting that Odesa Mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov did not come out to the protesters for a week and decided to talk to them only on September 5. The mayor tried to convince Odesa residents that the city council fulfills all requests for assistance to the military in a timely manner and in full, so the citizens do not have to worry about allocating money for other activities.
The information about the reconstruction of the Kyiv District Court, located at 3-B Varnenska Street, Odesa, was published on August 9. The reconstruction is ordered by the Capital Construction Department of Odesa City Council. The expected cost is UAH 106 million 245 thousand. The bidding is to take place on August 16, and the work itself must be completed by the end of 2024.
On November 18, Kateryna Nozhevnikova said that the rallies could stop because of the performance of an Odesa artist who poured paint on the Pushkin monument, but then changed her mind.
Photo: Volodymyr Samaychuk/Facebook