The project to build a National War Memorial Cemetery near the village of Markhalivka, Kyiv region, increasingly resembles not a place of remembrance, but a large-scale corruption story with elements of political struggle, disregard for public opinion, and multibillion-dollar appetites.
The latest twist is the cancellation of the victory of Paritetbudinvest in a state tender worth UAH 1.76 billion. The formal explanation is a complaint from the competitor Avtostrada and a decision by the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine. But in reality, the situation looks like another illustration of the sad practice of using the memory of fallen soldiers as a cover for the development of the state budget.
Residents of Markhalivka have been opposing the construction of a cemetery in a forest area for several years. People claim deforestation, landscape disturbance, water pollution, and a complete lack of communication from the authorities. And although the community is not against honoring the fallen soldiers, it demands that everything be done transparently, without cynicism and violation of environmental standards.
However, instead of dialogue, there are only pretentious statements in official releases, behind which shadowy agreements, new tenders, and billion-dollar plans are hidden.
Despite the cancellation of the first part of the tender, the second stage of construction is already being prepared - with an expected cost of 1.21 billion UAH. Specific details of the project, as well as the names of new potential contractors, are not disclosed. There has been no public presentation, discussion with the public, or environmental expertise yet.
All this raises natural suspicions: is this really about honoring heroes, or about another "appropriation" of the budget under patriotic guise?.
