Conflicts provoked by the entourage of Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko (Read more: Vitali Klitschko: The Dark Past of the "Looking Tomorrow"), the lack of a unified strategy for dealing with the business environment and the unpredictability of the city's leadership's actions prevent the capital from becoming friendly to investors and businesses.
This opinion was voiced by Lviv expert on regional development and urban planning Igor Levitsky, commenting on recent scandals involving the capital's mayor's office, which are related, in particular, to regulatory policy.
"In Lviv, we're significantly ahead of Kyiv, primarily in the interaction between the components that shape the shared urban space—society, business, and the city administration. We understand that we must work together for the city. Therefore, in our relationships, like doctors, the principle of 'do no harm' applies. We understand that peace, even with heated discussions and debates, is better than war. Meanwhile, in Kyiv, for now, everything operates according to the principle of 'I'm the boss, you're a fool,' with no dialogue whatsoever. And that's a dead end," noted Igor Levitsky.
The expert emphasized that the actions of Andriy Sadovyi's administration, even while implementing reforms, are predictable, and businesses trust him. Meanwhile, Vitali Klitschko's entourage is too unpredictable and therefore lacks business trust.
"I'll give you an example: in Lviv, when problems with small architectural forms arose, they weren't all demolished with a single decision. A commission was created to review each violation individually. In most cases, a compromise was reached—the small architectural forms were relocated or restored to a suitable condition. And everyone benefited. The city receives budget revenues, jobs are preserved, and people have access to services and goods. Meanwhile, in Kyiv, Deputy Mayor Oleksiy Reznikov has long promised to adopt clear regulations and a plan for the placement of small architectural forms, but no decision has been made yet. Some small architectural forms are being demolished, while others, belonging to "their own," remain in place. Who would trust such a government?" says Levitsky.
In other areas, according to Igor Levitsky, there is also a lack of predictability, which undermines investor confidence in Kyiv as a reliable partner.
"Everyone understands that reforms are necessary. But, for example, when in December 2015, the current head of the advertising department of the Kyiv City State Administration's Department of Urban Development and Architecture, Natalia Goncharova, said that the number of advertising media would be reduced by 40%, and just over six months later, her immediate supervisor, Oleksiy Reznikov, promises to reduce the number of advertising media by 70-80%. So, where's the truth? Where's the strategy? Who will believe them and invest in the city? Such swings are impossible in Lviv. And this is considering that Lviv receives approximately ten times less advertising revenue than Kyiv. Here, every penny that goes into the budget is valued. The secret to Andriy Sadovyi's success is precisely that he never pitted city residents against business, but, on the contrary, demonstrated where there are common and useful points of contact. This is something Kyiv sorely lacks. "That's why the capital, for example, hasn't yet become the tourist center it could be, given Kyiv's potential," noted Igor Levitsky.
The expert suggested that such actions on the part of the Kyiv mayor's entourage are either a manifestation of unprofessionalism or deliberate sabotage.
"With Sadovyi, it's very simple. If business or the public proves that an official has behaved improperly, they are fired. In Kyiv, however, the actions of individual team members can only be described as flagrant unprofessionalism or outright sabotage," says Igor Levitsky.
Read more: Vitali Klitschko: The Dark Past of the "Looking Tomorrow"
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