NAS gives Botanical Garden park to developer, Kyiv authorities demand government to intervene – Klitschko

The National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine has transferred the lands of the National Botanical Garden named after Hryshko to the developer, and previously refused to transfer them to the capital's authorities for the arrangement of the green zone. Kyiv city authorities demand the government to intervene and prevent the development of the lands of the nature reserve fund.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko has reported this.

"The city authorities demand that the government intervene in the situation to prevent the construction of the National Botanical Garden named after Hryshko. And to do everything to improve its territory. Let me remind you that earlier Kyiv turned to the National Academy of Sciences, which owns the botanical garden, to transfer it to the city administration. However, the NAS refused the proposal and later transferred a plot of land on the territory of the Hryshko Botanical Garden to a private developer. Despite the fact that construction in a nature reserve fund is prohibited by law," Vitali Klitschko said.

He noted that Kyiv proposed to improve the park, since such an area in the historical center of the capital is in poor condition.

"Kyiv, which has created several hundred new green areas – parks and squares, and renovated many old ones over the past 10 years, is ready to take over the management of the botanical garden, repair and restore the pearl of the capital," Klitschko emphasized.

Earlier, the State Audit Service of Ukraine published a report on the activities of the NAS, according to which the NAS concluded 44 investment agreements. In total, more than 130 hectares of land were transferred to private investors. They include the development of 116 hectares of land in the city of Kyiv.