Budzhak Community Head Ivan Kyusse Removed Amid Bribery Charges

The head of the Budzhak community of Bolhrad district, Ivan Kyusse, who was removed from office by the deputies at an extraordinary session on February 19, will not appeal the court decision, which was guided by the elected officials.

This was reported by the secretary of the Budzhak village council, Inna Melnyk, to the Bessarabia INFORM publication.

On February 19, an extraordinary fifty-first session of the Budzhaky village council was held in the meeting room of the administrative building of the Budzhaky community of the Bolhrad district.

The session was chaired by Inna Melnyk, the secretary of the village council, who presented the agenda to the deputies present: only two issues were on the agenda. In particular, "On the temporary exercise of the powers of the village head by the secretary of the Budzhak village council" and "On the terms of remuneration of the secretary of the village council".

The questions for the extraordinary session arose due to the suspension of the village head Ivan Kyusse from work for a period of 2 months, the publication "Rayons" reported.

According to the law, the secretary of the village council is the only deputy who can perform these functions. Inna Ivanovna said that the head had written an application for unpaid leave from February 14, 2025.

Ivan Kusse was detained on suspicion of extortion and bribery. According to the investigation, the official demanded USD 12,000 from the head of a local enterprise for assistance in allocating four agricultural land plots, each with an area of 50 hectares.

In exchange for this money, he promised to influence the members of the village council to make a decision to sell the land rights and transfer it to the company.

The official was detained while handing over the first part of the bribe in the amount of $3,000. He has now been chosen as a preventive measure in the form of detention with the possibility of bail. He was also temporarily suspended from his position.

Кирило Бойко