Trukhanov extends suspension of ex-director of architecture department

Odesa Mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov has ordered the extension of the suspension of Marat Kasimov, the first deputy director of the Department of Architecture and Urban Development, from his post.

By order of the mayor, Marat Kasimov's suspension was extended until June 26.

Previously, he served as the Director of the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning of the Odesa City Council and the city's chief architect, but in March, Odesa Mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov removed him from office.

In early March, the acting director of the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning , Marat Kasimov, was detained in Odesa while receiving $10,000, which law enforcement suspects he took as a bribe. His duties were temporarily performed by Nadiya Novikova.

Shortly after the detention, the mayor's office came up with the idea to merge the Department of Land Resources and the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning into a single Department of Architecture, Urban Planning and Land Relations of the Odesa City Council, whose director would simultaneously become the city's chief architect.

On April 16, the departments were merged into a single body, which, according to the city council leadership, would speed up the decision-making process, reduce staff, and save more than UAH 23 million.

In May, Odesa Mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov appointed an acting director of the new Department of Architecture, Urban Planning and Land Relations of the Odesa City Council, who is also the city's chief architect. The department is temporarily headed by Nadiya Novikova, who was transferred by the mayor in March from the position of director of the Department of Land Resources to head the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning.

Кирило Бойко