“I was approached by a well-known and influential Vynnyky businessman with links to the criminal world who proposed to me to cooperate in the sale of 19 hectares of communal land earmarked to build a sewage infrastructure Vynnyky needs so badly.

After I rejected this criminal scheme, the businessman warned me that he will have me sacked by deputies. According to my information, deputies were offered lump sums, ranging from 5 to 20 thousand dollars, to vote me out.

I am convinced that shady businessmen have the support of the council secretary Oleksandra Yarosevych who will become acting mayor if I’m sacked. My dismissal is illegal and will run counter to the law and council regimen.

It should be noted that the corrupt deputies and their business patrons have accused me of illegally selling communal land, despite my numerous vetoes on such murky land transactions.

Regular checks by prosecutors and other supervising agencies, however, have proven that I and my team has never broken the law and cared for the city interests. Meanwhile, the on-going harassment and grave situation around the land issue makes me worry about my personal safety. It is not rare that criminal gangs would resort to open physical attacks to pursue their dirty ends" the mayor said.