Mykola Tomenko, Vice-Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine forwarded an appeal to the Prosecution General of Ukraine with a request to verify legitimacy of the so-called lottery from Leonid Chernovetsky.
Thus, Kyiv City State Administration announced the launch of the governmental charity lottery in autumn 2009. The lottery was to be conducted in Kyiv and Kyiv region, the lottery ticket being sold in the press booths. There were three types of the lottery tickets costing UAH 5, 10 and 20. The organizers promised that the winnings shall total UAH 20-100 thousand depending on the type of a lottery ticket.
"It is the second attempt of "a flimflam lottery" on the part of Kyiv municipal authorities", - M.Tomenko stated. He reminded that the first attempt (horse race at Kyiv racetrack held on the initiative of Kyiv mayor) finished with a scandal, as "no one could account for the grounds for holding the horse races, the winners and prospective use of prizes".
M.Tomenko stated that the legislatively fixed procedure of conducting lotteries presupposes the issue of a license in compliance with Clause 9 of the Law of Ukraine "On Licensing of certain Types of Economic Activity". The Law of Ukraine of 2 June 2005 imposes a moratorium on the issue of licenses for conducting lotteries "until the Law on State Regulation of Lottery and Money Drawing is adopted". Therefore, licensing of lottery conduct has been suspended for the recent four years.
M.Tomenko doubts that Kyiv City State Administration has legal grounds to conduct the lottery. He recommends that the municipal authorities focus on the implementation of their authorities instead of devising another "flimflam lottery" for Kyiv residents.