Police and the Security Service of Ukraine are investigating Mykola Povoroznyk, deputy head of the Kyiv City State Administration, for allegedly soliciting a bribe from a construction company, Ukrainian news outlets reported on April 14.
Reportedly, Povoroznyk’s associates were caught demanding a $125,000 bribe from representatives of an unspecified construction company. In return, they allegedly promised to influence a city council ruling on the construction site eyed by the company.
The Novoe Vremya news outlet reported that a person alleged to be linked to Povoroznyk was arrested red-handed while taking $60,000, the first part of the bribe.
Povoroznyk denied all accusations, saying that he never instructed anyone to demand a bribe.
As of April 15, Povoroznyk hasn’t been charged yet. He said that police summoned him for questioning, scheduled for April 17.
Povoroznyk’s boss, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, said on April 15 that he wanted a fair investigation and wouldn’t tolerate corruption in his office.
“Either the corrupt official must be imprisoned, or those who fabricated the case,” said Klitschko.
The mayor added that Povoroznyk’s office at the Kyiv City Administration was the scene of the “investigative action” performed by the National Police and Security Service. Klitschko’s press secretary Oksana Zinovieva, however, denied that the building was searched.
Povoroznyk has been working in the Kyiv City State Administration since 2001. He led the city’s regulatory committee and later was appointed to head the administration’s economic department. He was in charge of attracting investment into the city.
In December 2017, Povoroznyk was appointed Klitschko’s first deputy, becoming the city’s second-in-command.
