Resident of Odesa region accused of seizing land near the river

Police served a notice of suspicion to a resident of Bolhrad district, Odesa region, of unauthorized occupation of land in a protected zone

According to the press service of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Odesa Oblast, the man plowed and sowed land along the coastal protection zone of the Kogylnyk River in the Bessarabian community for further profit.

It happened in the spring when the man, without the appropriate permits, illegally plowed a 0.4-hectare plot of land with his own equipment and illegally sowed corn on it, hoping to make a profit from its sale.

"As part of the criminal proceedings we initiated, we collected sufficient evidence and served the offender a notice of suspicion of unauthorized occupation of a land plot in a protected area. This crime is classified under part 2 of Article 197-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine and is punishable by imprisonment for up to two years," said Serhiy Korchagov, acting head of department No. 2 of the Bolhrad District Police Department.

If found guilty, the man faces restriction of liberty for a term of two to four years or imprisonment for up to two years.

However, he may also get off with a fine. For example, in May, the Tarutino District Court of Odesa Oblast found a Sarata native guilty of illegal possession of the surface layer of water fund lands on a particularly large scale and fined him 17,000 hryvnias. The man illegally dug a pond near the Chiligider River and filled it with its waters.

Earlier, a farmer from Izmail district in Odesa region was accused of unauthorized seizure of a land plot near Lake Katlabukh. The agronomist was interested in the land plot. He decided to cultivate and plant it without having any permits for the land.

Кирило Бойко