In Mykolaiv, a contractor has been chosen for the supply of electricity to traffic lights, but the tender was held without competition. The only contender was the "Mykolaiv Electricity Supply Company," which has been linked to corruption scandals and dubious owners.
This is reported by the Center for Public Investigations.
The city contract worth 3.5 million hryvnias was awarded to a company that has been mentioned multiple times in journalistic investigations. Its director was involved in a bribery case concerning a minister of energy for half a million dollars.
The firm has also provided electricity to other state institutions and has already secured contracts totaling over 8 billion hryvnias.
Who is behind this?
The company is part of the "VS Energy International" group, which is formally owned by citizens of Latvia and Germany. However, media and law enforcement claim that Russians under sanctions are behind it.
This same firm recently won several large tenders:
- 16.8 million hryvnias – supply of electricity for a municipal enterprise in Voznesensk.
- 10.6 million hryvnias – lighting of large areas in Mykolaiv.
Logical questions arise
- Why are such large contracts awarded without competition?
- How does a company with such a reputation continue to win tenders?
- Why are owners with possible ties to Russia involved in Ukrainian state projects?
So far, the answers remain unclear, but this situation clearly warrants close attention from both authorities and the public.
We remind you that a company led by a hairdresser won a tender from "DniproVodokanal" for 5 million with an overpayment of a million.
It was previously reported that the billion-dollar reconstruction of Borodyanka was awarded to a company linked to the former mayor of Irpin, Karplyuk, and the new head of the tax service, Kravchenko.
Additionally, Znaia.ua reported that "Oschadbank" will invest 16 million hryvnias in advertising on TV, social networks and even on children's YouTube.