A scandal broke out in the Odesa region related to the arrest of the mayor of Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, Vitaly Grazhdan, who is suspected of demanding a bribe for reservation services. According to the National Police of Odesa, searches are also being conducted in the premises of the local administration.
According to the investigation, the citizen demanded a bribe for help in booking from the mobilization of employees of one of the enterprises.
According to the media, the arrest of the mayor was carried out by employees of the Security Service of Ukraine.
In addition, the city council building is being searched. Department "K" (regarding the fight against corruption) works on site.
What is known about Vitaly Grazhdan
45-year-old Vitaly Grazhdan comes from the city of Bilhorod-Dnistrovsk, Odesa region. Married, raising a daughter.
In 1995, he graduated from secondary school No. 2 in Bilhorod-Dnistrovsk. From 1995 to 1999, he studied at the Odessa Institute of Ground Forces. From 2001 to 2005, he continued his studies at the Odesa National University named after I.I. Mechnikov with a specialty in "Jurisprudence" and received the qualification of a lawyer.
From 1999 to 2009, he served in the military as the deputy company commander for educational work, the head of the club of the unit in the military unit A0664 in Bilhorod-Dnistrovsk.
Subsequently, he worked as an investigator of the military prosecutor's office of the Bolhrad garrison, a prosecutor of the prosecutor's office, and a senior prosecutor of the military prosecutor's office of the Belgorod-Dniester garrison. He was dismissed from his position due to downsizing.
In 2015, Grazhdan was elected a deputy of the Bilhorod-Dniester City Council (VII convocation), head of the permanent commission on issues of legality, regulation, and protection of citizens' rights.
He also worked in the "Absolvo" lawyer's association (after receiving a certificate of the right to practice law).
On October 25, 2020, during the local elections, Grazhdan was elected mayor of the city of Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi.
We will remind that earlier, in May 2022, law enforcement officers came to the mayor of Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi to search. Then the SBI searched him for prohibited St. George's ribbons and red flags.
Later that year, Grazhdan became embroiled in conflict. In June, he fought at a session of the Bilhorod-Dniester District Council with its head Hryhoriy Melnychenko.
