Chernyshov: There are no objective grounds for suspicion against me, I have not received any discounts on apartments
Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Chernyshov considers the suspicion reported to him to be without objective grounds.
He stated this during a meeting, according to Censor.NET.
"After reviewing the case materials, I have learned a lot of new information. I am personally convinced that the suspicion has no objective grounds. The events we are talking about today took place more than three years ago. I would like to note that during this period and throughout the existence of this criminal case, I have never been invited to the NABU, to any procedural actions, in any capacity.
I have learned about this exclusively from media sources over the past year. I am completely open and ready to provide information," said the Deputy Prime Minister.
According to Chernyshov, the land plot under the agreement concluded by "Ukrkomunobslugovuvannia" has no relation to his current case.
"The land plot has not been lost by the state. Moreover, it would not have been lost by the state because, according to the agreement concluded by "Ukrkomunobslugovuvannia", ownership of this land plot remained with the state. The developer-investor was supposed to build a certain number of housing units and transfer part of them to the state," he explained.
He also commented on the information about discounts for certain individuals on apartments..
"I have not received any discounts, will not receive any, and do not plan to receive any. I am not personally interested in these apartments, I have no need for them and never have. ... I have no benefit, I do not control these apartments and have no means of controlling them," said the Deputy Prime Minister.
What is known about corruption in the Ministry of Reconstruction under Chernyshov?
Last week, the NABU served five people with a notice of suspicion in a case of corruption in the construction sector involving top government officials.
In particular, Vasyl Volodin, a member of the Board of "Naftogaz" of Ukraine, Maksym Horbatiuk, Chief Commercial Officer of "Ukrgazvydobuvannia" JSC, Alla Sushon, former Director of "Ukrkomunobslugovuvannia" SE, and Serhii Kopystyra, a developer, were suspected of abuse of office, receiving and giving an undue advantage in a particularly large amount.
On 13 June, the HACC arrested Horbatiuk with the option of posting UAH 25 million bail, on 17 June, the court arrested Volodin with an alternative of UAH 20 million bail, and on 20 June, the developer, Kopystyr was granted a preventive measure in the form of arrest with an alternative of UAH 100 million bail.
At the time of the crime, Volodin was the Secretary of State of the Ministry of Regional Development, and Horbatiuk was an adviser to the head of the ministry, Oleksii Chernyshov, who later became the head of "Naftogaz", where his associates also went to work. Chernyshov is now the head of the Ministry of National Unity and is abroad.
According to the investigation, the developer developed a scheme to illegally obtain a land plot in Kyiv for the construction of a residential complex. To do this, he turned to top officials of the Ministry of Regional Development, who created the conditions for the transfer of land to a state-controlled enterprise. The latter illegally entered into investment agreements with the construction company in question. At the same time, the land and the buildings on it were valued at almost five times cheaper, and the difference between this valuation and the market value exceeded UAH 1 billion.
According to the UP, NABU detectives planned to conduct a search of Chernyshov's place a year ago, but it was cancelled at the request of the Bureau's director, Semen Kryvonos. At the same time, Chernyshov secretly met with Kryvonos, later explaining that the meeting was to discuss the anti-corruption programme of "Naftogaz". Kryvonos himself denied any involvement in the cancellation of Chernyshov's searches.
