While buildings are falling apart and kindergartens stand empty in Balta, the mayor is interested in land

While the family of Balta Mayor Serhiy Mazur has been steadily expanding its control over the community’s land resources for years, the city itself is falling into disrepair: buildings are crumbling right before children’s eyes, and the wastewater treatment facilities are in critical condition.

This is the subject of an investigation by “Stop Corruption TV” into land-use decisions made by the Balta City Council in the Odesa region.

The report details how the mayor’s father-in-law, Oleksandr Gedzun, leased at least 144 hectares of municipal land through the “Vetvit” farming enterprise.

Journalists also highlighted the lease terms for certain plots and statements by local activists who claim that farms linked to the mayor’s family have an advantage over other lessees.

Serhiy Mazur himself denies any influence over land-use decisions, and the city council states that in cases of potential conflicts of interest, he did not participate in the voting.

At the same time, the authors of the investigation emphasize that, amid the land disputes, other problems in the community remain unresolved.

The investigation also examined the state of Balta’s infrastructure. In July 2026 , part of an abandoned garment factory collapsed in the city center —children were nearby at the time, but no one was injured.

Anna Rybitska, head of the communications department for the Balta city community, reported that the collapse was preceded by cracks in the building’s walls.

In addition, local activists are drawing attention to neglected kindergartens, empty schools, and other municipal facilities that have not been used for years. They also point to the critical condition of the wastewater treatment facilities, which, they say, allow sewage to enter the environment without proper treatment.

The authors of the investigation note that this is only the first part of their study. In it, they compare the city council’s land-use decisions, the mayor’s family’s asset declarations, and the state of the community’s infrastructure, emphasizing that final conclusions must be drawn by the competent authorities.

Ірина Глухова