ElitExpert continues a series of interviews with people who have become laureates National rating of influence "Elite of Ukraine"-2021.
Today's interlocutor of the agency is Oleg Radkovsky, the first deputy head of the Odesa Regional Council, one of the most experienced politicians of our region, a People's Deputy of Ukraine of two convocations and permanent head of the Odesa regional organization of the "Batkivshchyna" party.
— We are meeting with you at the beginning of the new year, so, according to tradition, let's summarize the results of the past year...
— I will start with the fact that in the fall of the year before last 2020, following the results of the local elections, a coalition of democratic forces was formed in the Odesa Regional Council from "Servant of the People", "European Solidarity", "Batkivshchyna" and "Trust Business". Therefore, I consider one of the main achievements of 2021 to be that the Odesa Regional Council managed to defend this coalition. I am sure that preserving the democratic course of development of our region is very important.
The second positive point is that the region finally has a real governor who, unlike the previous ones, knows the region well, its problems, what needs to be worked on and in which direction to move. Sergey Hrynevetskyi is an experienced manager and, perhaps, there is no other person in the region who knows the Odesa region as well as he does. We all understand very well that the previous "new" heads of the OGA only had to delve into the problems of the region for three years...
Now a course has been taken to restore the infrastructure of the Odesa region, its economic and transit potentials. For example, for the first time, a significant amount was allocated from the state fund for the restoration of Odessa roads of local importance - it is a little more than a billion hryvnias. For the first time, we saw that the district centers of the region, which were impossible to reach, can now be reached by car safely and comfortably. And immediately, activity in the communities of the region revived. People can now receive services in district centers, they can go to district hospitals, solve the problem of educating children — all this is very important.
The third thing I want to draw attention to is that the last year was another year of the coronavirus pandemic. Unfortunately, it was not possible to avoid human casualties, including in the Odessa region.
But today it is possible to say with confidence that the health care system of the region passed this difficult period with honor. We managed to restore all the supporting hospitals, created a structure in the Odesa region that, unlike other regions, took the blows of the pandemic with dignity. All hospitals were working, were provided with oxygen and necessary medicines, we did not allow the collapse of the medical system. I will note that although at the very beginning of the epidemic it was very difficult to achieve this, but gradually everything normalized. That is, in addition to the infrastructure in the Odesa region, the health care system will also work at full capacity in 2021. And of course, we must say a huge thank you to our doctors who withstood these difficult trials with honor.
— Excuse me, but the state apparatus, departments, officials, deputies - weren't all these structures too sluggish in the fight against the pandemic? In my opinion, the "crown" was successfully resisted by volunteers and public organizations, and, often, not thanks to, but in spite of the work of all specialized bureaucratic apparatuses...
— Unfortunately, at the very beginning of the pandemic, the entire healthcare system of Ukraine was not ready for it: there were no masks, no medicines, no ventilators, etc. Therefore, at the first stage, volunteers, such charitable foundations as Ekaterina Nozhevnikova's "Monster Corporation" really played a huge role... They provided colossal help in overcoming the pandemic, without them it would have been very difficult.
The fact is that the health care system, like all state systems, is very inert. It took time for it to "rock" and start working normally. Gradually, all mistakes were taken into account, funding was allocated for the creation of the necessary medical programs. Money also appeared for doctors' salaries and medical equipment. Little by little, the health care sector began to get back on its feet and within an hour it was fully ready to receive patients and fight against the Delta strain. Now a new stage of the pandemic with the "Omicron" strain is beginning, but our medical system is already operational, we have supporting hospitals, qualified specialists and equipment, and are able to withstand this blow.
— Regarding the work of the health care system in the Odesa region, two illustrative cases are recalled: the inflated cost of ambulances and the non-payment of "covid allowances" to doctors in hospitals. Were there any administrative conclusions, parliamentary requests in these situations? Was the Odesa Regional Council involved in solving these issues?
— Actually, there were many more such episodes. From time to time, new problems appeared that had to be solved. I am grateful to the deputies of the regional council, the medical commission, which always convened meetings on time and resolved these issues together with the regional state administration. We took measures as much as we could. I believe that at this stage the healthcare system in the Odesa region is working reliably. Whatever the wave of the pandemic may be, we will be ready for it.
— You represent "Batkivshchyna" in the regional council. Did you manage to implement some parliamentary initiatives of the party?
— "Batkivshchyna" is a patriotic party, so we attach great importance to the education of young people. In our country, there is a youth patriotic movement "Plast", which unites a large part of youth organizations from all over Europe.
Together with the "Batkivshchyna" faction in the Verkhovna Rada, we decided to create a Marine Plastovy center on the shore of the Tylygul estuary, where young people will undergo patriotic education, learn sea sports (rowing, swimming, overcoming water obstacles, etc.). I think that it will be very interesting for young guys who serve in the naval forces, because the leadership of the Ukrainian Navy supports us in this matter.
Already this year, we plan to make working documentation, and during the next year to build the center itself and put it into operation. This will be a serious facility in the Odesa region, where young people will be able to gain the necessary experience and receive sports and military-patriotic training. I am confident that in the near future the Marine Plastovy Center will be able to receive young people not only from all over Ukraine, but also from most European countries.
— Representatives of your party recognize the heads of several OTGs in the Odesa region. Are you satisfied with their work?
— After the administrative reform, Odesa region has 91 united territorial communities - this is a huge number. In five communities of the region, the representatives of "Batkivshchyna" won, and in another five - heads of the OTG, who ran for the support of our party, and we pay close attention to these communities, in particular, to their social projects. We are doing everything to ensure that schools and kindergartens work normally there, that these communities have good roads, normal medical care, infrastructure, and that all centers for providing the population with the necessary administrative services work. I believe that this is the face of "Batkivshchyna" in the Odesa region, therefore I am proud of many chairmen of our communities who set an example of how the OTG should work in Ukraine for the benefit of the people. I can name some of them: Viktor Ivanovich Lobach - head of the Ivanovo OTG of the Berezovsky District, Oleg Belous - head of the Oknyan OTG of the Podolsky District, Matvey Ivanov - head of the Kyliy community in the Izmailsky District, Yury Tyshchenko - head of the Ananiev OTG and Vladimir Kalkatyn - Zelenogorsk OTG of the Podolsky District . I believe that in these communities, the right course has been taken to improve the social standards of the population's life. On the example of these communities, we will show what we want to achieve in the country. And I think this fact will play a positive role in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
- Let's be honest, are you already preparing for them? What are your priority tasks?
— I think that in Ukraine, all political parties start preparing for elections on the very next day after the end of the previous ones. "Batkivshchyna" is no exception. We are preparing for the elections, strengthening our organizational structure, creating party organizations in all communities, attracting worthy people and public opinion leaders who enjoy respect and support in their communities to the leadership of these organizations. It seems to me that we are simply obliged to get a very good result in the Odesa region. After all, the "New course" program, with which we go to the people, is a strategy for the social and economic development of the region, raising social standards for the population, and the scientific, technical, and production potential of our country. Without such a program, there will be no future in Ukraine. Therefore, our party, which is one of the oldest in the country, and we will do everything possible to win the next elections and to implement this program.
— Can you list the main problems that really concern Odessans and residents of the Odesa region, and hear your position on them: both as the first deputy head of the Odesa regional council and as the leader of the "Batkivshchyna" party?
— If we are talking about Odessa as a regional center, then the biggest problem that worries all Odessans is traffic jams and the lack of an infrastructure policy for the development of the city's main transport highways. We see that Odessa is drowning in traffic jams, and getting from one area of the city to another is very problematic. To solve this problem, it is necessary to work with banks, attract loans and other financial mechanisms, and also create a program for the development of transport infrastructure. If this is not done in the near future, then with today's chaotic construction of Odessa, very soon we will start walking, as it will be impossible to drive through the streets of Odessa.
The second problem facing Odessa is the complete absence of a city-planning policy and a perspective plan for the city's development. I don't see any clear concept of how the historical center of Odessa should develop, I don't see plans where new residential neighborhoods should be built. and according to what parameters they should develop. So far, everything is very chaotic.
I will give one simple example. Since the temporary loss of Crimea, the Black Sea coast has become simply golden for all those who want to relax by the sea. However, our entire area from the Odesa seaport to the village of Kotovskogo, which is ten kilometers long, is built up by industrial enterprises. But of all these enterprises, only one Cable Factory operates. The rest are rented out and engaged in unknown activities.
In my opinion, it is necessary to increase the rent, it is necessary to talk with the owners of these enterprises, create clusters and move these enterprises out of the city. If we could make a common embankment from the Odesa port to the village of Kotovsky with beaches, with the proper development of this area with multi-story buildings not to the detriment of the coast, with kindergartens, with schools, etc., then we will get a new promising district, which will become a new business card of Odessa.
— In what issues do you cooperate with the Odessa City Council, the city administration? Is there interaction between the authorities in the regional council and the city council? Previously, these structures were often competing...
— In our case, there is complete mutual understanding between the Odessa Regional Council, the Regional State Administration and the Odessa City Hall. In addition, Sergey Hrynevetskyi and Gennady Trukhanov are from the same party, "Trust in business". And these people are really working for the benefit of the Odesa region, with the main goal of raising social standards in the region and making it one of the best in Ukraine. And when there are common goals and mutual understanding, then it is possible to solve any problems. We are very closely connected with the city. I myself communicate very often with the mayor of Odessa and we always find mutual understanding, so I am sure that in such a working union we will be able to do a lot for the region. For the first time in many years, the Odesa region got the opportunity to increase its tourist, industrial and transit potential. And in the near future, the people of Odessa will already see the fruits of this normal and fruitful cooperation between the region and the city.
— In what direction do you think Odessa will develop?
— Odessa, in my opinion, it is necessary first of all to preserve the historical center of the city. Everything must be done to attract money and restore our beautiful historical buildings. This can be the regional budget, the city budget, or the "Great Restoration" program of the president. But a moratorium should be imposed on the construction of high-rise buildings in the center of Odessa.
In other old districts, it is necessary to attract investors, allocate money for the restoration of facades. There are various methods by which private investments are attracted. An investor, for example, can relocate this house, because if people live in old emergency apartments, they will be happy to move to new apartments. For the investor, there should be a "green street" for obtaining documents. He can build a new house on this place, preserving the historical facade, as is done in many European cities. That is, it is necessary to work with investors and attract them. But not a single investor will come to Odessa if there is no possibility of transparent processing of documents. And everyone knows what happens in our country with obtaining a building permit. It's just horrible.
— You are talking about corruption. And how to fight it?
- There is only one method - the deputies of the city council must be united by the common idea of preserving the historical center of Odessa. 90% of these buildings are architectural monuments. At the same time, about 20 houses at the beginning of Pushkinskaya, the House of Russov, the house of Falz-Fein, the house on Gogol have already been restored and attract tourists.
— Tell me, are you in favor of reconstruction or preservation of the emergency fund that we have?
— This is a difficult question. There should be a comprehensive approach. In order to reconstruct this or that building, people need to be evicted from it, because if people are not evicted, we can only repair the facade. First, it is necessary to carry out a comprehensive audit of all these monuments, which should be done by the Odessa City Council. Then, houses that are subject to facade repair only, as they are in normal condition, should be selected. The second group should include houses that simply cannot be repaired, so other options should be offered to the residents in order to resettle them.
Third, districts in Odessa should be set aside for new development. With houses for young people, for immigrants. In this regard, I consider the district in Kievskaya highway, where there are a lot of abandoned industrial enterprises, and the vicinity of Promyshlennaya Street, where it is quite possible to build a modern high-rise district with schools, kindergartens, and infrastructure facilities, so that it does not become the second "Rainbow". Another potential development area, which I have already mentioned, is the plot of land from Odesa port to Kotovskogo settlement. The third is the land of the Tairov community, already in the region, in the vicinity of the "7th Kilometer" market. There you can build modern high-rise areas and "bedrooms" that will meet all modern requirements and have all the infrastructure.
The most important thing is that we have a high-quality product on the construction market of Odessa and transparent relations in obtaining city-planning and permitting documentation.
— Do you think that ecological problems in Odessa will ever be solved in principle? Who should be engaged in this?
— This problem exists all over the world, but it is one of the most important problems both for Odessa itself and for the region. Every year we throw out more and more garbage, and if this garbage is not properly processed, then Odessa and the region will gradually turn into a big dump. This problem must also be solved comprehensively. It is necessary to connect the city more actively here, because the Dalnytsky quarry, unfortunately, has now become a huge dump, far from modern methods of waste processing.
My opinion is that it is necessary to urgently build waste processing plants in the region. One - directly in Odessa, and at least three more - in the region, for example, in Podolsk, in the Izmail district, and in the Lyubashevka district. Otherwise, we will not solve the garbage problem. It is also necessary to attract modern technologies.
The regional state administration should lead the process, and the city council and the regional council are obliged to become active participants in this program. It is possible to attract private investments here, because it is a very expensive, but at the same time profitable business. I think that in the near future this direction will become one of the main ones in the work of the regional administration and the regional council.
— What other plans are there that will contribute to improving the comfort of life of Odessans and residents of the region?
— Odesa region is an agricultural region, and this year we set a record for harvesting.
But we need to get away from the simple export of grain, and work to create a group of enterprises for the processing of plant products. It is necessary to attract investments for the creation of such enterprises. If we do this, then, first of all, we will solve the issue of employment of the population in rural areas and the receipt of taxes in the community, because these enterprises will be registered in the OTG. You can make pasta, canned food and other products that are in demand, and not just sell wheat as a raw material.
— Are there new large investors coming to the region at the moment?
— Yes, there are already first sprouts. For example, a company from Saudi Arabia will make compound feed. They will build a modern feed factory in our region, and this feed will be exported to Saudi Arabia, where it will be used as feed for growing sheep.
In addition, the regional council successfully works in the international sphere, participates in world exhibitions in order to attract investments to our region. And I'm sure that thanks to our connections and hard work, everything will work out for us!
Interviewed by Elena Ovchinnikova
Photo: Sergey Lyashonok
