Mayor Vitali Klitschko rarely takes part in Kyiv City Council land votes, with most decisions being carried by factions.
This is shown by the findings of a study by the civic initiative “Holka”, which analysed more than 9,400 Kyiv City Council votes over six years.
Over that period, Klitschko was present for only 437 of the 2,350 votes in which councillors considered land matters on their merits. Even when he is in the chamber, he does not press the button in 62% of such votes. Of the 437 land votes at which Klitschko was present, he supported 168. That is 7% of all substantive land votes.
However, when Klitschko does vote, his vote can decide the fate of a plot. In particular, with 61 votes—the minimum required—the Kyiv City Council granted the company “Hyuvekshaus” a 10-year lease on 1.28 hectares in Natalka Park for a restaurant or other commercial facilities. The mayor voted in favour. Construction work had previously been carried out on the site without land rights, prompting law enforcement to open a criminal case.
Most land decisions are passed on the strength of factions. The most active supporters are Batkivshchyna and the mayor’s UDAR faction: 83% and 82% of their deputies attend such sessions, and 90% of those present vote in favour. Deputies from European Solidarity and Servant of the People support land decisions to the same extent—59% of their factions’ membership. Unity and Holos vote in favour least often.
The Kyiv mayor, the study found, also distances himself from issues of construction, urban planning and leasing. Compared with his usual attendance, the mayor is 19 percentage points less likely to turn up for land votes and votes on construction, and 27 points less likely to attend votes on leasing. By contrast, he attends votes on the budget and governance 13 and 16 points more often than usual.