In Kyiv, one of the capital's largest developers, Vagif Aliyev, held a christening celebration for his son. The event took place in a restaurant on the banks of the Dnieper River and brought together a circle of close businessmen, officials, and politicians. The party caused a stir, as Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko was among the guests.
This is stated in the investigation by journalist Mykhailo Tkach, published on the YouTube channel of "Ukrainian Pravda" under the title "The Godfather of Developers. The Story of One Celebration with Vitali Klitschko."
In addition to the mayor himself, his associate Artur Palatny, as well as People's Deputy Vadym Stolar, who has been repeatedly mentioned by the media in connection with the scandalous developments, were present at the christening. According to sources, it was Stolar who became the godfather of the newborn. The appearance of the mayor at the private event of the developers is considered indicative in the investigation. Klitschko himself, in a comment to Ukrainska Pravda, stated that he attended the celebration in his free time. However, the authors of the investigation emphasize that in any democratic country, such connections between politicians and business would have public weight.
For years, the public has expressed outrage over the chaotic development of Kyiv, the opaque allocation of land, and the appearance of skyscrapers and shopping malls in densely populated areas. Critics of the capital's authorities emphasize that the mayor has close ties to people who directly affect the appearance of the city. These doubts intensified after Klitschko signed an order to reconstruct the exits from the Akademmistechko metro station 10 days after the celebration. According to activists, this is not about improving access, but about building a shopping mall. According to the "Passengers of Kyiv" community, the metro exits may be built into the new shopping mall. The project developer is the Grotto company, with which Vadym Stolar was previously associated. This raises questions about possible conflicts of interest, in particular regarding convenience for passengers, safety, and transparency of decisions made.
The media remind us that shopping malls have been popping up in the capital in recent years on almost every free piece of land. The names of the developers are the same. And the close relationships between officials and these individuals often remain "behind the scenes" - until investigations begin.
The question of whose interests decisions are made regarding the development of Kyiv has once again become relevant. Is it a coincidence that the christenings have become a symbolic meeting of the authorities and big construction business?
