Euro-2012 echoes by debts
Builders from Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk claimed that the general contractor did not pay for the work performed, the latter informed The Day that “the government did not pay its bills.” Meanwhile, Borys Kolesnikov knows nothing about it
Entrepreneurs from Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk oblasts complain that they have not been paid for the services provided for Euro-2012. This is what director of “Prykarpatbudtrans” Ivan Bodnar informed about during the press conference. According to him, the total debt of 4.8 million hryvnias is supposed to be paid to 8 enterprises that supplied materials and provided services of cargo transportations during the reconstruction of the airport in Lviv.
“In 2010 the Council Cabinet nominated Donetsk Building Company (making part of Altkom) the general contractor for reconstruction of the take-off strip without holding a tender. This company invited us, entrepreneurs, to participate in this reconstruction. We agreed with a lot of enthusiasm as we were very proud to work for Euro-2012. We would never think that after signing the report of completion they would forget to pay us,” Bodnar summed up.
“A year and a half has passed, he says, but the entrepreneurs have not been paid yet, though they have repeatedly addressed Altkom.” Bodnar emphasized that in March 2013 the contractor general sent guarantee letters to the entrepreneurs-subcontractors promising to settle arrears by the end of April. However, the money has not come yet and it is needed a lot. As Bodnar explained, to be able to fulfill the plan on time companies had to take loans to buy new equipment and pay taxes for the income they had not received. Now it is time to pay those loans off.
“I have been in transport business for ten years and it was the first time when we were done out,” says Roman Demchyna, representative of another company called Demchyna R.I. that has not been paid.
“Today I would like to address mister Kolesnikov who was responsible for building objects for Euro-2012. I want him to answer through journalists: where is the money? We know that the state almost completely funded those objects and a lot of money was spent. Why couldn’t contractors general pay us, entrepreneurs?” Bodnar asks. Business representatives also urged the Prime Minister, President and Prosecutor General’s Office to inspect where the money had gone. If they are not heard, Bodnar says, cheated entrepreneurs and their workers will start protest actions.
The Day addressed Yurii Hromnytsky, press-secretary of the former Vice Prime Minister for Euro-2012 and current head of the Parliamentary Committee for Transport and Communication Borys Kolesnikov. In particular, we asked if he is aware of this problem. “I do not know anything,” slightly nervous Hromnytsky replied. However, he promised to “find out more.” He also “advised” to address the companies, involved into the debt scandal – Altkom and National Agency on Preparation and Holding Euro-2012 Finals.
The contractor general assures: he cannot pay the builders from Ivano-Frankivsk and Lviv as he does not have the money because the state has not paid the bills yet. “There are debts because the state has not paid Altkom for the works it performed. The debt to Alkom significantly exceeds the debts to subcontractors. The company has its obligations and we are trying to fulfill them as possible. As soon as the government pays, the debts to subcontractors will be paid off. We are in the same situation as contractors. Everybody understands the reasons of this situation, but, for some reason, only the entrepreneurs from Lviv are painting us in the worst light. They are raising the question the way as it is the company’s guilt, but they have to understand that this is the situation in the country,” press-secretary of Donetsk Building Company making part of Altkom Olena Vasina told The Day.
As for the question about the guarantee letter promising to pay off the debt, she replied that she does not have any information. When asked a follow-up question about the government institution, department or ministry owing the money the entrepreneurs are waiting for to Altkom, Vasina refused to comment on financial debts as “she does not know at what stage the money was delayed.” She advised consulting the Internet.
At the reception of the National Agency on Preparation and Holding Euro-2012 Finals The Day was told that the head of the agency Volodymyr Kovalevsky could not make a comment at that moment since he was absent. The Day sent an official request to Kovalevsky and we are waiting for a reply within five working days.
