July 1, 2025, 3:36 p.m.
(Photo: Odesa City Hall)
During a meeting on July 1, members of the Standing Committee on Planning, Budget and Finance agreed on a list of companies that will be granted land tax exemptions in the city, which included a branch of Infoksvodokanal.
The granting of benefits to this company caused a discussion among the deputies, as deputy Volodymyr Kornienko, who is not a member of the commission but attended the meeting in an advisory capacity, expressed doubt about the appropriateness of granting this benefit to Infoksvodokanal.
The deputy emphasized that the funds saved by the company could be used to repair the networks, which, according to the deputy, Infoksvodokanal does not repair because they are not on its balance sheet.
"The media stated that 25 million hryvnias were allocated for the privilege of Infoksvodokanal. In fact, the budget did not receive these funds. They could have been used for repairs. According to my constituents, Infoksvodokanal was once privatized," the MP emphasized.
The MP suggested not to approve the privilege for Infoksvodokanal at least until the company provides MPs with an investment plan for using the saved UAH 25 million.
"To prevent these funds from being spent on country houses and cars for the owners," the MP said.
In response, Dmytro Tantsiura, a member of the commission, emphasized that he had voted against the transfer of the networks to Infoksvodokanal and recalled that it was planned to transfer the networks for 1 hryvnia, but the deputies insisted on approving the investment agreement.
"Now the water utility is working well and supplying water. I don't want you to be a little bit Trump, you know, tram-pam-pam. We were all waiting for Trump to come and end the war, but he turned out to be a businessman, not a politician. You and I must understand that there is a social part in the benefits, because thanks to this decision, the land fee will not be included in the tariff and it will not increase," the MP said.
Representatives of Infoksvodokanal emphasized that the company will not save any money, as this money will not be transferred to the company. As for the investment agreement that was signed when the networks were transferred to the company, that agreement has already been fulfilled, and before the full-scale invasion, the company submitted new agreements to the session. However, the investment agreement is currently being negotiated with the regional military administration. As for tariffs, they are set by the National Electricity and Utilities Regulatory Commission of Ukraine. And the company has committed to spend UAH 120 million on investments by 2025.
In the end, the list was approved with four votes in favor and one abstention.
Кирило Бойко