Zelensky signed the law on the creation of a park of monuments on the territory of the Mezhihirya residence

President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law on the creation of Mezhihiriya, a park-monument of gardening and park art of national importance, on the site of the former residence of the fugitive President Yanukovych.

The official website of the Verkhovna Rada reported that the document signed by the president had been returned to the parliament.

On July 14, MPs supported a bill to establish Mezhihirya Park.

The area of ​​the future monument of gardening and park art will be 138.5937 ha. The park is being built on state-owned land in the Vyshgorod region of the Kiev region. The land will be managed by the Cabinet of Ministers. All plots will be transferred to the park for permanent use.

A special administration will also be appointed to transform the park into a monument and monitor compliance with environmental regulations.

As explained by the representative of the Cabinet of Ministers in the Verkhovna Rada Taras Melnychuk, the initiative to create a national park on the territory of the residence "Mezhyhirya" will contribute to the protection of rare species of animals and plants listed in the Red Book, found in this area.

What is known about the case of Viktor Yanukovych and Mezhihirya

"Mezhyhirya" is the former private residence of fugitive President Viktor Yanukovych in the village of Novi Petrivtsi near Kyiv. The property with a total area of ​​140 hectares became famous during the Revolution of Dignity and became an example of the corrupt past of the Yanukovych regime, who lived in the mansion from 2002 to 2014. On February 23, 2014, the Verkhovna Rada passed a resolution to transfer the residence to state ownership.

The investigation believes that in 2002, the third president, Viktor Yushchenko, transferred the "Mezhihiriya" complex to the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine from the State Administration of Affairs. The then Prime Minister, Viktor Yanukovych, allegedly, using his official position, removed the assets from the restrictions of the Law "On Privatization of State Property", but in 2005 the complex was returned to the DUS.

In 2007, Yanukovych sent a letter to President Yushchenko with a request to exchange the property of the "Pushka-Voditsa" recreational complex, worth UAH 540 million, for the premises of a private company.

In the same year, Yushchenko allegedly gave Yanukovych a secret order to use a country house in the Pushka-Vodytsa complex.

On August 25, 2021, at the request of NABU detectives, the investigating judge of the Supreme Anti-Corruption Court agreed to conduct an absentia investigation against the former President of Ukraine and his son, which finally allowed the investigation to be completed. Moreover, VAKS chose the preventive measure of arresting both suspects.

If found guilty, they face 7 to 15 years in prison with confiscation of property. NABU has been investigating the matter since December 2019. From the moment the former president and his son fled to the Russian Federation in 2014 until December 2019, the case was dealt with by the GPU.

On Friday, February 24, 2023, a hearing on the appropriation of the "Mezhihirya" residence was to be held at the High Anti-Corruption Court. However, the defendants' lawyers did not appear and the court adjourned the hearing until March 7, 2023.

"Mezhihirya" is surrounded by a five-meter fence with a length of 54 km. On its premises there is a yacht marina, a riding club, a shooting range, a tennis court and other entertainment and tourist complexes, as well as hunting grounds. Currently, the facility is managed by the Mezhihirya National Park of Ukraine.