Finances taken from community budget must be returned to Kyiv. This is not money of central government, but money of Kyiv residents. It is with these funds that city must build shelters, prepare for winter, ensure autonomy of hospitals, schools, and critical infrastructure, and install backup sources of heat and electricity. People's Deputy of Ukraine, leader of European Solidarity party Petro Poroshenko said this at meeting with European Solidarity team in Kyiv City Council, according to political force's website.
"In fifth year of great war in Ukraine, there are still no safe shelters for civilians. This is abnormal. This is matter of life or death. That is why three years ago, in June 2023, European Solidarity team introduced draft law No. 9358. On systemic financing of construction and repair of shelters throughout country. Unfortunately, it has been deliberately ignored for three years already. Because it stipulates that it will be necessary to work not formally on paper, but systematically and qualitatively," he noted.
"Today, after sleepless night under shelling, we gathered with European Solidarity team in Kyiv to discuss how to force government to finally allow construction of real, reliable, high-quality shelters within walking distance for people. Because wild barbarians will not stop terrorizing our cities. Because when ballistics fly, Kyiv residents do not have 10-15 minutes. Often there are one or two minutes. And if shelter is somewhere far away, closed, unusable, or turned into formality, it is not shelter. This is mockery of people who live under daily threat of death," Poroshenko emphasized.
Kyiv City Council deputy Leonid Yemets noted that situation in Kyiv's relations with central government is very difficult. "Kyiv is being systematically deprived of resources that we need simply, as we can see, for survival. Tonight, like nights before, showed that situation with shelters, to put it mildly, is far from ideal. Kyiv residents deserve decent conditions, even in such difficult times and moments. There is corresponding draft law No. 9358 registered by European Solidarity faction. Simply request that faction pass on proposal from Kyiv residents through us to parliament, demand that this law be adopted. Because without it, we see that issue is not being resolved," he stressed.
"We really need to return those funds that were taken from Kyiv budget – UAH 8 billion, UAH 10 billion. That is, we are talking about fact that third of city budget was simply taken away from Kyiv residents and their needs. We have repeatedly appealed to Cabinet of Ministers through decisions of Kyiv City Council, through statements of our faction and deputies of Kyiv City Council who supported us, that this money must be returned. But now Cabinet of Ministers burdens Kyiv further with 'Resilience Plan' with expenses that Kyiv is simply unable to provide today without return of these funds. Therefore, today this is matter of survival," deputy stressed.
Kyiv City Council deputy Volodymyr Prokopiv emphasized importance of organizing closest accessibility of shelters for citizens. "Analyzing past few shellings, we understand how large number of ballistics is, and understanding that if earlier people had 10-15 minutes to reach shelter, in area where there is no metro, it could be nearest school, now from warning to arrival of ballistics passes from 1 to 3 minutes, and this does not give person opportunity to reach that shelter which is on map, and it is necessary to make shelters within walking distance. And city itself, without help of government, without relevant regulations for such shelters, is not capable and has no tools to do this, so your help is needed so that we receive such tools," he said.
Leader of European Solidarity in Kyiv City Council Maryna Poroshenko noted that preparation of city's medical institutions ahead of winter season is currently underway. "I want to say that we are currently actively working to ensure that all hospitals in city of Kyiv have their autonomy, that is, electricity, heat supply, and autonomous water supply. All these issues must really be raised today while it is still warm outside. All these issues must really be raised today, and if we do not use this law now, we will enter winter unprepared," she said.
Petro Poroshenko emphasized that funds for construction of shelters are available. "Money for construction of shelters is available. For this, finances taken from community budget must be returned to Kyiv. This is not money of central government. This is money of Kyiv residents. It is with these funds that city must build shelters, prepare for winter, ensure autonomy of hospitals, schools, and critical infrastructure, and install backup sources of heat and electricity," he stressed.
"Community must have resource. This was meaning of my decentralization program – community must have resource to fulfill tasks assigned to it by law. Key position that we say, number one: constructed, reliable, high-quality shelters within walking distance. We have no right to leave Kyiv residents without place where they can survive missile attacks. This applies equally to residents of other cities," he stressed.
"We cannot understand why since June 2023, three years, Verkhovna Rada, voting for all sorts of junk, has not put our law on agenda, which will ensure protection of Ukrainians and Kyiv residents, in particular, with shelters. Therefore, we will rigidly raise issue so that this law is considered," Poroshenko said.
"Government needs to finally go out to people, find out about their problems. Start solving these problems. For me, it is categorically unacceptable when broken glass in school stands unrestored for 3-5 months. This is wrong. When there are shelters in schools and hospitals where people cannot enter. As of today, task No. 1 is to take needs of specific people in Kyiv and Kyiv region and ensure their quick, effective solution. Kyiv and other cities of country are now in mortal danger. Duty of government is to protect people. It is necessary to act immediately," he said.
