The director of Odesa airport illegally transferred profitable municipal work to private contractors

Head of Odesa International Airport charged with abuse of office, causing major losses

This was reported by the press service of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO).

According to the investigation, until the end of 2020, the municipal enterprise Odesa International Airport received payments for various services: takeoff and landing support for aircraft, extended parking, and other services. The profits went to the Odesa community.

However, in 2020, the acting general director deliberately facilitated the transfer of airport operations from the municipal enterprise to a private company. As a result, starting from late 2020, profits were no longer received by Odesa but by a private owner.

This caused material damage amounting to 15.6 million UAH (€324,000) — the amount of revenue lost by the Odesa community-owned municipal enterprise.

Currently, a decision is being made on what pre-trial restrictions will be applied to the suspect.

From 2019 to 2021, the position of acting head of Odesa International Airport was held by Oleksandr Hlushko.

It should be recalled that in the summer of 2023, NABU (the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine) uncovered a corruption scheme at the Odesa airport worth 2.6 billion UAH (€54 million), in which the former mayor of the city was involved.