Odesa City Council deputy files complaint against SAPO head

A disciplinary complaint has been filed against Deputy Prosecutor General and Head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office Oleksandr Klymenko with the Qualification and Disciplinary Commission of Prosecutors. It concerns the case of Odesa airport.

It was reported by Olha Kvasnytska, a deputy of Odesa City Council .

The deputy stated that it was about protecting the interests of the Odesa community in a case related to the Odesa International Airport municipal enterprise.

According to the deputy, the complaint concerns criminal proceedings regarding the alleged misappropriation of the airport's property and revenues from its activities in the amount of over UAH 2.5 billion. She claims that there may have been violations by the leadership of the SAPO in this case.

The MP stated that public reports about the alleged "return" of the airport to the community are not true. According to her, according to the plea agreement, which has not yet been made public, only the old terminal building and about 2,500 pieces of obsolete property are to be transferred to the city. At the same time, the key infrastructure of the airport, which ensures its operation, according to her, remains under the control of the defendants in the case.

The MP also accused the SAPO leadership of putting pressure on procedural prosecutors. She claims that they were allegedly forced to agree to a plea deal on the terms of the suspects, while the position of NABU detectives on the need to fully return the airport was ignored. According to her, the decision to conclude the agreement was made after the replacement of prosecutors who did not support such conditions.

Kvasnitska also emphasized that the issue is of strategic importance, as the airport is a critical infrastructure facility. She warns that after the resumption of air traffic, revenues from its activities may not go to the city budget.

In her complaint, the deputy asks the Qualification and Disciplinary Commission of Prosecutors to open disciplinary proceedings against the head of the SAPO and verify the facts, including possible pressure on subordinates and the dissemination of false information.

In February, members of the Odesa City Council from the Servant of the People faction demanded to check the legality of the plea agreement in the proceedings over the misappropriation of airport municipal property. However, the proposal was not supported in the session hall.

Анна Бальчінос