Kyiv Prosecutors Target Unlawful Construction
Kyiv's Prosecutor's Office is taking action against the illegal development of lands within the Holosiyivsky National Nature Park, a protected area. Members of a garden cooperative built 33 houses across more than 3 hectares of this land, registering them using forged documents. This has led to lawsuits demanding the cancellation of these property registrations and the demolition of the buildings, alongside the opening of criminal cases. This case highlights ongoing challenges in Ukraine to protect its natural heritage from unauthorized encroachment.
The land plots occupied by these houses are part of the national nature reserve fund, an area of significant ecological importance. The over 3-hectare site is located within the 'Hayok' tract of the Holosiyivsky National Nature Park. Cooperative members constructed the 33 garden houses without obtaining any of the required permits. To register the properties in the State Register of Real Property Rights, they submitted falsified documents containing inaccurate data regarding addresses and construction years.
Prosecutors' Legal Response
The Prosecutor's Office has filed 33 separate lawsuits to annul the property registrations and order the demolition of the houses. To date, the court has ruled in favor of the prosecution in 10 of these cases, with 6 of those decisions having already taken full legal effect. Authorities have also filed three indictments against cooperative members under Articles 197-1 (Parts 2, 4) and 358 (Part 4) of Ukraine's Criminal Code. It is noted that one individual has already been convicted by the court. This information was provided by the press service of the Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office.
This case underscores the critical importance of upholding laws designed to protect natural resources and prevent illegal construction on environmentally valuable land.
The prosecutors' actions demonstrate an active fight against corruption and abuses within the land-use sector, which may serve as a warning to other potential offenders. Such illegal developments can have a severe negative impact on the regional ecological balance, making the protection of nature reserves a vital priority.