Union of Architects asks Zelensky to help stop pressure on union
The National Union of Architects of Ukraine has asked the president of Ukraine to help stop pressure on the organization caused by its criticism of the draft law on urban planning reform (No. 5655).
"We appeal to the president of Ukraine with three positions. The first one is to stop the shame regarding the unsuccessful urban reform and veto draft law No. 5655. Second: to start a public and expert dialogue on the creation of the Urban Planning Code and a real urban planning reform, which will give people hope for fair construction in the country. Third: put an end to the pressure on the union, our professional environment, and unblock the work of architects in Ukraine," Anna Kyrii, the deputy head of the union's Architectural Chamber, said at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency on Monday.
According to her, the union, an independent self-regulatory organization, has been actively criticizing the draft law on the reform of urban development for two years, which, in its opinion, has become the reason for the persecution of the union and its leadership by law enforcement agencies.
Lawyer of the union Yaroslav Yatsenko pointed out accusations of the union officials of unlawful actions during the professional attestation of architects are unfounded, since the union was not deprived of the relevant delegated powers.
"The investigator and the prosecutor established a fact, allegedly of legal significance, that since May 2022 the union has no delegated authority to conduct professional certification of architects. But this statement is untrue and contrary to the law, because, in accordance with the statements in the unified state electronic system in the construction sector, the union certainly has such delegated powers until this time," he explained.
According to the lawyer, there is no corresponding order of the head of the relevant ministry to terminate the delegated powers of the union, as required by the current legislation in such cases.
Thus, there is no event of a criminal offense, and the notifications of suspicion are and unfounded, Yatsenko stressed.
"We can conclude that such actions of the chief investigator of the National Police of Ukraine and the Security Service of Ukraine have signs of deliberate pressure on the National Union of Architects of Ukraine and its leadership and targeted persecution," the lawyer said.