Mykola Tomenko, Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, is convinced that "Strategy of Kyiv City Development till 2025" that is being discussed by the authorities, is a document that has been written not for the capital of Ukraine but for the average city of town in Europe or Ukraine. It was declared by the Deputy Chairman during the press conference on Ohliadach information portal.
"In fact, when we discuss the document and attraction of foreign experts to its creation, I am convinced that it is well-drafted document written using European traditions that can be useful for such cities as Komsomolsk, Khartsyzk or even some regional centers of Ukraine but not for the Kyiv city", emphasized M. Tomenko. According to the politician, Kyiv deserves greater mission and status in Europe due to its geopolitical situation and history.
"First of all the document is quite paradoxic since there are no mentioning the word ‘Ukrainian´ regarding capital, city or culture", he stated. "There is a question: how can we discuss the capital of Ukraine other than as the capital of unique history of famous Kievan Rus, European Orthodox Christianity, center of unique people´s Ukrainian culture etc", added M. Tomenko.
M. Tomenko is also convinced that the mission of Kyiv as a European capital had not been developed entirely since "to be European capital it is necessary to define and apply strict standards of social life, quality of citizen´s life rather than simply give quantity of new hospitals, schools or sport objects."
According to him, the most important for the present moment is to make city´s authority legitimate. "The Kyivans shall elect new authorities, not only because the previous high-ranking authorities, according not only to opposition but to Oleksandr Poopov, depredated it, but first of all because the situation, when the Head of Kyiv City State Administration coordinates his decisions with city mayor who is staying abroad, via telephone, is inadmissible and absurd. There should be a legitimate quality that would work upon solving of new tasks."
That is why, according to the Deputy Chairman, we have strategy on one hand and real problems on the other hand. As an example he reminded of the numerous contractions in the historical part of the city. Namely, the construction of some new floors of building in Museum pass has not been stopped yet and it is not a singular event in Kyiv. "It is inadmissible not only in a European capital but in any civilized city", he added.