Under the slogan of small business support, the fair trade in the Obolon district of Kiev is increasingly reminiscent of the cover for schemes that damage the budget and the health of residents. Instead of an effective support for local entrepreneurs, it is increasingly becoming a source of abuse.
According to open sources, in the first quarter of 2025 the real loading of fair sites was only 54.8%. Of the 2,400 available commercial places, only 1 314 was used. This indicates serious miscalculations in the organization of work.
The financial picture is even more significant. The revenues from the fair activity were less than half of the possible - the district budget did not receive 458 475,84 UAH. A similar ratio indicates either the negligence of the organizers or the existence of artificial restrictions for entrepreneurs, which may be specific officials interested in controlling cash flows and "distribution" of places.
In addition to economic losses, there is a direct threat to the health of the population. Numerous cases of gross violation of sanitary standards have been recorded. Products - meat, fish, dairy products - are often sold without refrigeration equipment, with impaired temperature, directly from machines or trailers. The lack of documents on the origin of products and epizootic safety was also recorded. The placement of goods is often chaotic: fresh herbs - along with conservation and sausage products.
Despite the obvious violations, no serious checks and sanctions are observed. According to our sources, the head of the Obolon Regional State Administration Kirill Fesik and the head of the district police Viktor Mikhailenko do not take any measures to stop this situation. Their inaction contributes to the fact that the violations remain systemic.
We have already filed an official complaint demanding to check the activities of the leadership of the Obolon Regional State Administration and KP "Svitoch". It aims to find out why the municipal infrastructure is used in half, why the budget loses hundreds of thousands of hryvnias and who blocks entrepreneurs' access to fairs.
If the situation does not change, the fairs in Obolon will not be a local business support site, but a tool of shadow schemes.
