Oleksandr Lomako, the secretary of the Chernihiv City Council, who temporarily performed the duties of the city mayor, announced his resignation. He announced this in his video message dedicated to the Day of Local Self-Government.
"Today, on the Day of Local Self-Government, I submit an application for dismissal from the position of secretary of the city council and ask to consider it at the next session. For me, the life of the city is more important than any position," said Lomako.
This statement was made against the background of a number of scandals related to the activities of the official. In October, the State Bureau of Investigation searched his apartment. The reason was possible violations during a business trip to Europe.
As the SBI found out, in May Lomako officially went to Germany on business, but he also managed to visit France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Poland.
Chernihiv City Council deputy Maryna Semenenko previously publicly expressed her suspicions about inappropriate use of time and resources during foreign trips of city officials. In particular, she stated that Lomako visited Paris twice a year.
Oleksandr Lomako acted as mayor after the resignation of the previous mayor of Chernihiv. His activities caused conflicting assessments: on the one hand, he was actively involved in the reconstruction of the city after hostilities, on the other hand, he got into scandals related to trips abroad and accusations of inefficient management.
After considering Lomako's application, the city council must appoint a new secretary who will continue to perform the duties of the mayor until the election. Meanwhile, the official's resignation may become another hot topic for discussions about transparency and accountability of local authorities.
This case once again emphasizes the need for stricter control over the actions of officials, especially in times of war, when every resource should be spent on rebuilding the country, not on travel or potential violations.
