Widely common at the time the “Wall” continues to agonize. Three years on the Ukrainian-Russian border was built only 300 miles of protective structures, that is, 15% of the target. There are a range of issues: the dubious idea that large-scale corruption, recently uncovered by law enforcement authorities, difficulties with financing. What does the controversial “Wall”, and whether it makes sense to continue to allocate money for the project is understood by the “observer”.
Cutting tools
On start of the project three years ago pompously announced by the then Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk. Approved program by the spring of 2015. By 2018 it was planned to build two thousand miles of structures. But as of summer 2017, the project has failed. Proponents attribute this to a lack of funding.
In the State border service say that in 2015 from the budget allocated only 400 million UAH (41% of estimated total), in 2016 — 200 million (17%). This year on the “Wall” is expected to spend 500 million And the deadline already going to move to the year 2020.
But to write off the project’s failure on the lack of funding is a hasty conclusion, especially in light of recent scandal surrounding the looting of funds. On the week of National anti-corruption Bureau was informed about the suspicion of the seven persons who were recently detained in the investigation of embezzlement of budget funds allocated for the “Wall”. Caught on the “sawing” of money officials of various rank, and also heads of the firms involved in the construction. While we are talking about the theft of 17 million hryvnia, but it is possible that the actual amount many times more.
For large-scale embezzlement in the framework of the project for many months, pointed out the number of MPs, activists and the media. NABU began the investigation last year, but tenders for the construction of the “Wall” raises a lot of questions in 2015. For example, in the Kharkiv region won the firms connected with the ex-regionals or not just appearing in high-profile scandals. In 28 cases out of 31 the tender was attended by only two companies.
Half of the orders received “Stroytsentr knight”. CEO and founder of the company is Agaverdi Adilov, recently detained NABOO. The company won all tenders in which it participated. The share capital of the company — only 7550 UAH.
“I was originally told that the project “the Wall” uses a large number of people for embezzlement of the budget. NABOO now confirms my words,” — said in an interview with “observer” extra fractional people’s Deputy, Deputy Chairman of the parliamentary Committee on preventing and combating corruption Borislav Birch.
The people’s Deputy from Samopomich Lev Pidlisetsky adheres to similar opinion: “it initially looked as one of the schemes for the plundering of funds. Cut insane amounts of money. There’s a lot of excavation and work with wood. In this case, it is difficult to account”.
Wall or fence?
The scandal surrounding the embezzlement of budget funds returns to the main question: whether or not the concept of the “Wall”? She has had plenty of critics even at the start. And the failed implementation of the project only increased their number.
The “wall” more commonly known as the fence, Parcani and even barbecue grill. Achievements for three years: 109 km of lateral roads, 229 km anti-tank ditches, at 72.5 km of protective fences and six guard towers. Critics of the project claim that such facilities will not be able to provide security on the border.
“To build a wall is nonsense. Because actually it’s not really a wall. Rather, parkan. If you build a wall like in Israel. But it’s a lot of money, which Ukraine will not be able to allocate”, — commented on the “observer” Pidlisetsky.
The wall on the Israeli-Palestinian border puts the example and Borislav Birch. The MP also admits that such a project will require significantly more funds. “But then it is easier not to spend money on the “fence” and use them on other target needs. The construction in its current form does not make sense”, — said Birch.
It remains unlikely that the project collapsed soon, despite the lack of progress in the construction and investigation of law enforcement officers. “The wall” hard lobbying “people’s front”. The bloc of Petro Poroshenko more cautious in the estimates, but concessions in this area make “veterans” compliant. Shortly before leaving on vacation deputies even dragged the increased funding of the “Wall” from 200 to 500 million of the budget amendments were for amounts confiscated from the entourage of former President Viktor Yanukovych. The Ministry of Finance wanted to allocate funds to cover the budget deficit.
As reported by the “observer” in the investigation of the theft of state funding allocated for the project “the Wall”, which was initiated by the former Prime Minister-the Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, officials detained suspects in the embezzlement of 16.6 million.
