StopKor journalists discovered a full-fledged restaurant within the Carpathian National Nature Park: the establishment has a kitchen, service, music, and visitors, but, according to the report, it operates without the necessary permits. During the visit, the tables were filled with tourists, the establishment smelled of cooked meat, alcohol was served, but checks were not issued — according to the journalists' observations, payment was accepted only by bank card.
Journalists have found out the lease and registration connections: the land in the protected area is allegedly leased by an individual entrepreneur Vasyl Vasylchuk, who, according to open sources, is the brother of the wife of the mayor of Yaremche. According to the authors of the material, several companies in the woodworking sector are registered under his name. According to the investigation, the accounts for receiving payments belong to another person from the same family circle, and members of the mayor's family comment on her page on social networks. Journalists call this chain a "family scheme."
The editorial office contacted the tax service - the response quoted by journalists indicates that this entrepreneur does not have permits for the retail sale of alcohol. The authors of the investigation also emphasize that no official approvals for the establishment's operation within the national park were found, and the administration of the Carpathian National Park did not respond to telephone and written inquiries.
According to the Ministry of Environment, the territory of the Carpathian National Park is divided into four zones, and only a small part of the park is allocated for stationary recreation; even there, the placement of establishments takes place under strict conditions and only as auxiliary infrastructure with official approval. The investigators emphasize in the material that full-fledged restaurant activities in the prohibited areas of the park contradict the norms of the Law of Ukraine “On the Nature Reserve Fund of Ukraine” (Articles 16 and 21).
Journalists call on regulatory authorities to verify the facts and confirm or deny the availability of permits, the legality of the lease, and compliance with environmental requirements. The investigation also points to the risks of related activities: the combination of a family's forestry enterprises and catering establishments in a mountainous area can create corruption and environmental threats to the park and the local community.
