The Carpathian Development Agenda: Examining the Voting Records and Interests of Zakarpattia's MPs

Controversial Legislation and Zakarpattia's Parliamentary Representatives

According to Главком: The six Members of Parliament representing the Zakarpattia region have been actively involved in reviewing contentious draft laws concerning regional development and land use. Their voting patterns reveal a complex interplay of political and business interests tied to construction projects in the Carpathian Mountains. This scrutiny comes at a time when Ukraine is balancing post-war reconstruction with the need for environmental protection. Among the most debated proposals are the 'On Zakarpattia' bill (No. 9549) and the so-called 'Ihor Mazepa law' (No. 12089), which have sparked significant public and expert debate.

The region's parliamentary delegation consists of:

• Viktor Baloha
• Vasyl Petiovka
• Valerii Lunchenko
• Robert Horvat
• Vladyslav Poliak
• Mykhailo Laba

Vladyslav Poliak has been accused of 'button-pressing' (voting for absent colleagues), while Mykhailo Laba faces allegations of receiving improper benefits for his votes. Viktor Baloha, a prominent political figure, served as Head of the Presidential Secretariat and as a Minister under President Viktor Yushchenko. His son, Andrii Baloha, is the Mayor of Mukachevo and leads the 'Team of Andrii Baloha' party, which saw one in five of its candidates win a mandate in the 2020 local elections.

Legislative Impact and Regional Consequences

In 2023, Zakarpattia ranked among the top three Ukrainian regions with the highest number of Russian churches. Hundreds of hectares are being prepared for the construction of the 'Borzhava' resort. Negotiations regarding Carpathian development have involved MPs Ihor Palytsia, Serhii Lovoichkin, and Vladyslav Kaskiv. The 'On Zakarpattia' bill (No. 9549) initiated a mechanism for the forced alienation of land plots and property in the Uzhhorod district, but was vetoed by the President. Four of Zakarpattia's majoritarian MPs-Robert Horvat, Valerii Lunchenko, Vasyl Petiovka, and Vladyslav Poliak-supported this bill.

In 2021, parliament voted on the draft law 'On the Territories of the Emerald Network'. During the 2020 local elections, four MPs united in the regional project 'Native Zakarpattia', which saw over 350 of its candidates enter regional councils. During the consideration of the 'On Zakarpattia' law, Viktor Baloha did not vote, and Mykhailo Laba was absent.

Draft law No. 12089, known as the 'Ihor Mazepa law', was criticized by the European Parliament, which called it a 'legalization of stolen property'. Its main author and lobbyist is 'Servant of the People' MP Ihor Friz. All Zakarpattia MPs voted for this bill, except for Vasyl Petiovka, who was absent.

The Constitutional Court has begun reviewing an appeal from the Supreme Court regarding the constitutionality of the norms in law No. 12089. Following the start of the full-scale war, business interests linked to former 'Regionnaire' Maksym Yefimov, who is involved in wind energy construction, relocated to Zakarpattia. In 2023, Maksym Yefimov resigned his parliamentary mandate.

MP Antonina Slavitska proposed an amendment to bill No. 13174 that would have allowed wind turbines to be built in mountainous areas without an environmental impact assessment, but this amendment was defeated. An off-site meeting of two Verkhovna Rada committees-the Environmental and Eurointegration committees-was held in Uzhhorod, initiated by European Solidarity MP Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze and 'Servant of the People' member of the environmental committee, Yuliia Ovchynnikova.

In 2023, Robert Horvat received a notice of suspicion from NABU for allegedly influencing officials of the State Geocadastre and developing a scheme to seize land plots in Zakarpattia, causing state losses exceeding UAH 123 million. During the consideration of the bill to abolish the independence of NABU and the SAP (No. 12414), all the region's majoritarian MPs voted for it, except for Viktor Baloha, who was absent.

During preparations for the urban planning 'reform' (draft law No. 5655) in 2023, Viktor Baloha voted against considering this initiative in committee. However, all other majoritarian MPs from Zakarpattia supported the urban planning 'reform'. Citizens collected over 25,000 signatures on a petition to the President demanding a veto on bill No. 5655, but the President did not sign it.

In 2004, Viktor Baloha, representing 'Our Ukraine', received over 62% of the vote in the Mukachevo mayoral election, but his opponent from Medvedchuk's team was declared the winner. In the 2020 local elections, six deputies from the OPZZH party, including Vladyslav Kaskiv, entered the Zakarpattia Regional Council. When considering the bill to ban pro-Russian parties (No. 7172-1), all of Zakarpattia's majoritarian MPs supported the decision, except for Valerii Lunchenko, who did not vote, and Robert Horvat, who was absent.

The activities of Zakarpattia's MPs thus point to intricate connections between politics and business within the context of Carpathian development, raising concerns about environmental consequences and the legality of the decisions being made.

Carpathian development and legislative changes related to land are critical issues for Zakarpattia, as they could significantly impact the region's ecological health. Given the active role of MPs and their associated business interests, ensuring transparency and legality in land-related processes is paramount. This could prove a key factor for regional stability and the protection of its natural resources in the future.