Odesa Mayor Trukhanov Forms Group to Prepare for EXPO-2030 Bid

Odesa Mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov has ordered the creation of a working group to implement a set of measures to ensure that the EXPO-2030 World Exhibition is held in Odesa.

The corresponding order was published by the press service of the municipality.

Hennadiy Trukhanov appointed himself as the chairman of the working group, and the former head of the Odesa Regional State Administration, Serhiy Hrynevetskyi, became the deputy chairman.

Another deputy chairman of the working group was appointed Sergey Tetyukhin, the deputy mayor of Odesa, and the acting deputy mayor Oleg Bryndak became the secretary of the working group.

The group also includes:

Lyudmyla Varrava, Director of the municipal institution "Odesa 5T Grant Office";

Dmytro Zheman, Deputy Mayor;

Tetiana Zhylkina, Acting Director of the Legal Department of Odesa City Council;

Serhiy Kondratiuk, Head of Suvorovskyi District Administration of Odesa City Council;

Ivan Liptuga, Acting Director of the Department of Culture, International Cooperation and European Integration of Odesa City Council;

Andrii Rozov, Director of the Department of Economic Development of Odesa City Council;

Oleksandr Filatov - Acting Deputy Mayor, Director of the Department of Land Resources of Odesa City Council.

In addition to the mayor himself, two other members of the group are involved in criminal proceedings.

Recently, the High Anti-Corruption Court extended the term of office of the Deputy Mayor of Odesa, Oleh Bryndak, until March 6.

According to the investigation, between November 2021 and August 2022, Oleh Bryndak received an undue benefit totaling more than UAH 2.4 million for acting in the interests of a criminal organization, in particular for ensuring that the land commission made decisions on land allocation for construction to predetermined persons.

And in September 2022, the Suvorovskyi Court of Odesa refused to satisfy the prosecutor's motion and remove the head of the Suvorovskyi District Administration of the city, Serhii Kondratiuk, from office.

The case concerns charges of abuse of office against Serhiy Kondratyuk. Investigators insist that he purchased special equipment and military uniforms for soldiers of territorial defense units and volunteer formations of the Odesa territorial community from Thermopal Limited Liability Company at a significantly inflated price.

On November 29, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented Ukraine's candidacy for the 2030 World Expo.

On November 23, the Coordinating Committee for the Preparation and Support of Ukraine's Participation in the Selection of the Candidate Country for the World Expo 2030 in Ukraine (Odesa) decided that the country should present the Ukrainian application for this event on November 27-28 in Paris.

Earlier, the Odesa EXPO 2030 project team presented the design concept of the city in October. It will be built in Odesa for the World Expo 2030 if Ukraine is selected to host the event. The author of the concept with the working title "Renaissance. Technology. Future" was developed by the British architectural firm Zaha Hadid Architects in collaboration with Ukrainian architects.

In September, Ukraine officially submitted a registration dossier to the International Bureau of Exhibitions (BIE) as part of the selection of a candidate country for the World Expo 2030.

However, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine announced its intention to apply for participation in the exhibition back in October 2021. The decision on the location of World Expositions is made by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) by secret ballot.

Кирило Бойко