With the country amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the city authorities suddenly decided to buy trolleybuses. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko only warns citizens about the spread of COVID-19 and speaks of the importance of health care costs, but in reality, everything is different - he buys vehicles. Moreover, he purchases urgently, and from no one else but the friendly company of Gladkovsky / Poroshenko which enables them to make money on the people of Kyiv.

The unprofitable public utility Kyivpasstrans (in January-July 2020, the loss amounted to UAH 178.5 million) is going to purchase 15 trolleybuses for a total of UAH 173 million at the expense of the Kyiv budget.

The purchase was announced on October 9, 2020, and the auction itself was held on November 19, 2020. The expected cost is UAH 173.807 million

Two companies took part in the auction, and made the following proposals:

• SE ASZ No. 1 JSC Car Company Bogdan Motors - UAH 173,057,190.00;

• LLC MAZtransservice - UAH 173 807 190.00.

During the auction, the companies did not lower their prices. The winner was the SE ASZ No. 1 JSC Bogdan Motors, which asked for a little less than their contender. On November 20, there appeared a statement about the readiness to conclude a supply agreement. Moreover, they want to carry out the delivery quite quickly - until December 24, 2020.

There could be two key factors. First: the supplier needs funds at the end of the year, and Vitali Klitschko must help him in obtaining them. The contract provides for post-payment within 5 banking days.

Second: when the purchase is closed this year, it looks like the purchase of new vehicles. As you know, they are more expensive than last year's cars. If the city bought equipment manufactured in 2020 in 2021, it would qualify for a large discount. But Klitschko does not set himself the goal of saving budget funds. Apparently, his key priority is to transfer city money to the right company as soon as possible. It is unlikely that the mayor is doing so selflessly, so the competent authorities should check the purchase for collusion and corruption.

According to the technical documentation, Bogdan Motors is obliged to supply Kyivpasstrans with 15 new trolleybuses with 45 seats, each of which will accommodate 170 passengers. The driver's seat should be equipped with an on-board computer, and the driver's cabin should be separated from the passenger compartment by glazed doors and a window for ticket sales. The cabin must be equipped with an air conditioner and a heating system of at least +10 degrees Celsius. There should also be a sound and visual information system for alerting passengers, a video surveillance system, an automatic fare collection system, and a passenger counting system.

The company-winner of the tender is located in Lutsk. Its owner is PJSC Car Company Bogdan Motors, which Dubinsky.pro has written about more than once. It is owned by several shareholders, one of whom is Oleg Gladkovsky.

Officially, former president Petro Poroshenko sold his share of the enterprise to Gladkovsky in 2009, although, in fact, he continues to control him. Gladkovsky was the deputy head of the NSDC while Poroshenko was in office. In April 2019, he was fired after journalists disclosed schemes for theft in the defense complex of Ukraine, in which his son Igor was involved.

In August 2019, NABU opened a case against Oleg Gladkovsky. He is charged with the failure to declare UAH 1.3 million.

The company PJSC Car Company Bogdan Motors is suspected of non-payment of taxes in the amount of UAH 1.1 million. The case is in court.

But all these facts do not prevent the company from participating in tenders and did not become an obstacle to receiving a large order from a Kyiv utility company controlled by Vitali Klitschko.

Valeria Samoshina for dubinsky.pro