A criminal investigation has been launched into the case of the construction of a Lviv Solid Waste Project

By its Decision of 16 February 2022 Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Kyiv ordered the newly established Bureau of Economic Security of Ukraine to enter the information on a criminal offense under the fact of violations, which were committed during the tender procedures held by Lviv Communal Enterprise Zelene Misto for the construction of solid waste treatment facilities in Lviv, into the Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations. This was reported by the press service of Ilyashev & Partners law firm which represents the interests of WTT Netherlands BV (Netherlands).

The tender for the construction of solid waste treatment facilities, in which 11 companies took part, was held according to the rules of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, which allocates EUR 35 euros for the project. The tender procedure lasted from 2018 to 2020.

In October 2020, the Consortium of companies WTT and Axis Industries UAB (Lithuania) was recognized the winner of the tender procedure. However, in November 2020, when the Consortium delegation arrived in Lviv to sign the Contract, LCE Zelene Misto announced the postponement of the signing.

A new decision was later made to select Control Process S.A. as the winner of the tender with a bid of more than EUR 1 million in excess of the amount offered by Axis-WTT.

As previously reported by the media, already after the moment when Axis-WTT was announced the winner of the tender procedure, a meeting was held between the Lviv Deputy Mayor for Financial and Economic Issues and the Head of Control Process, after which LCE Zelene Misto announced another company as the new winner.

The investigation has been opened under Articles 191 “Misappropriation, embezzlement of property or its appropriation by abuse of office” and 364 “Abuse of power or official position” of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which provide for liability in the form of imprisonment for the period of up to twelve years with confiscation of property.