The Hunt for the Ukrainian Sanatorium "Rossia"
The property on the Crimean peninsula in Ukraine is very valuable and attractive. Many have their eyes on that land, and the local authorities are not only not protecting it, but participate in covering up and supporting questionable deals.
Sanatorium “Rossia,” a complex with different recreational facilities and a luxurious apartment complex with a total territory of 1,180 square meters, was evaluated as being worth only UAH 2.8 million, and leased out in 2006 for 30 years. The rental rate went down from 15% to 3% of the property’s value in just one year.
The Crimean Information and Press Center conducted an investigation into the legality of the leasing arrangement for the state property of Sanatorium “Rossia.” Journalist Valentina Samar headed up the investigation. The TV program that aired on November 04 on TV Chornomorskaya was the first of the series.
The investigative crew prepared an in-depth profile on the company that became the renter of Sanatorium “Rossia” – the “Construction Company of MVD Union” Ltd. This company in the past had connections with, as well as in its name contains “MVD”, the acronym for the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs. Interviews with the union activist and the head of the public relations department of the chief division of the Ministry of Internal Affairs proved the controversial nature of information about the founders of the company and participants in the deal.
Since the case involves state-owned property (it belongs to the Verkhovna Rada of Crimea), the Control and Revision department tried to conduct an inspection. However, they were met by lawyers lobbying the interests of the construction company who prevented them from doing this. A series of court lawsuits started and are in progress right now.
Valentina Samar also interviewed the head of the State Property Fund of Crimea, which should be another institution protecting community land. From the talk, it was clear that the fund was there simply to perform the laws of the Verkhovna Rada of Crimea and accept orders from above… without using its power to intervene.
Read 'the content' of the tv-programme in English here.
Watch the original programmes here:
