Serhiy Kuzminykh, the head of the subcommittee on pharmacy and pharmaceutical activities of the Verkhovna Rada committee on public health, medical care and medical insurance, who is currently accused in a high-profile bribery case, has suddenly become interested in the distribution of 10 million hryvnias from the local budget of Zhytomyr, which is planned to be allocated for the development of the local health care system, UNN writes.
In his post on Facebook, Kuzminykh said that the commission on budget issues of the Zhytomyr City Council supported the allocation of 10 million hryvnias of subvention for the development of local hospitals. In particular, 5 million hryvnias are planned to be used to purchase an ultrasound system for the intensive care unit for newborns, as well as to repair the premises of the traumatology and orthopedics department of Hospital No. 1. Another 5 million hryvnias are provided for the reconstruction of the premises of the second floor of the surgical building of the "Hospital No. 2 named after V. P. Pavlusenko" of the municipal enterprise. These expenses are planned to be carried out on the terms of co-financing.
"This is a crucial step to strengthen the city's medical sector. We are waiting for the support of the city council at the next session," the MP wrote.
At first glance, it's a good thing. But if we recall that Serhiy Kuzminykh is accused in a bribery case for assisting a manufacturing company that is engaged in the supply of medical equipment, a logical question arises whether the MP has taken up the old ways and wants to disguise another attempt at his own enrichment with PR on the topic of health care?
Detectives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine exposed Serhiy Kuzminykh "red-handed" while receiving an illegal benefit of 558,000 hryvnias. According to the investigation, he received funds for assisting in the signing of contracts between a private company and one of the hospitals in the Zhytomyr region for the supply of medical equipment.
The criminal case against Kuzminykh also involves the "Hospital No. 2 named after V. P. Pavlusenko" of the municipal enterprise. At that time, according to the investigation, Kuzminykh assisted a private company in the supply of medical equipment and demanded 30% of the tender amount (40 million hryvnias) for this, that is, the kickback was to be 12 million hryvnias.
At the same time, in conversations with representatives of the medical equipment supply company, he boasted about his influence on hospitals in the Zhytomyr region.
At the end of January 2022, NABU recorded the transfer of money and published a video about it. In it, a person with a voice similar to Kuzminykh promises his assistance and adds that he can resolve issues with all medical institutions in the region.
On January 31, 2022, the then Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova signed a notice of suspicion to him.
Serhiy Kuzminykh was not detained due to "deputy immunity", but he ignored interrogations, which is why he was put on the wanted list. After several days of "hiding", the MP was still detained for the election of a preventive measure.
In May 2022, Kuzminykh was chosen a preventive measure in the form of a bail of 49,600 hryvnias. Of course, the bail was paid for the people's choice.
In September 2022, the indictment in the case against Kuzminykh was sent to the Supreme Anti-Corruption Court for consideration on the merits. Currently, the stage of evidence examination is ongoing. During this time, the MP repeatedly ignored court hearings.
Moreover, journalists of UNN have repeatedly drawn attention to Kuzminykh's connections with the pharmacy business, disguised as charity. Thus, a network of pharmacies in Zhytomyr is registered to his driver, Maksym Tokovyi, who is also involved in the bribery case. In particular, according to the investigation, he was an intermediary in receiving a bribe by the MP.
Kuzminykh is also obviously connected with the "Dream Step" clinic. According to public finances, since 2019, it has twice received payments from the "Kuzminykh Brothers Foundation" for rehabilitation services in the total amount of 15,000 hryvnias. This happened in 2020. In 2022, in response to journalists' questions, Kuzminykh stated that veterans are treated free of charge in this private center: "Ask the ATO participants who are treated there whether they paid at least a penny."
It should be noted that the legislation prohibits people's deputies of Ukraine from combining work with entrepreneurial activity. Therefore, according to lawyers interviewed by UNN, the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption should pay attention to this situation.
Kuzminykh's interest in the budget 10 million hryvnias "for the development of medicine" looks, at the very least, contradictory. Especially since we are talking about funds that can be used for repairs, equipment purchases and, accordingly, contractors and suppliers - a sphere where political influence often turns into a political "coin", and for Kuzminykh this is already a well-trodden road.
Let us remind you
Earlier, UNN reported that the scandalous MP Serhiy Kuzminykh had his license revoked for "drunk" driving, and was later fined 10,200 hryvnias. The court ruling states that the patrolmen saw typical signs of alcohol intoxication in the driver: the smell of alcohol from the mouth, a sharp change in skin color on the face, and pronounced trembling of the fingers. In the presence of witnesses, Kuzminykh refused to undergo an examination using a "Drager" or in a medical facility, which was recorded in the documents. Materials on the accusation of Kuzminykh of committing an administrative offense under Art. 130 of the Code of Administrative Offenses were transferred to the Bohunskyi District Court of Zhytomyr.
Serhiy Kuzminykh, already classically, did not appear twice at court hearings regarding drunk driving. In the end, the court found him guilty, imposed a fine, deprived him of the right to drive and ordered him to pay court fees.
However, this was not the only case of violations of the law committed by the MP. Kuzminykh continued to drive without a driver's license. For which he was detained 3 more times by the patrol police. The first two times, the MP drove without documents, probably in the same car in which he was driving "under the influence", an Opel Vectra. However, he later switched to a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, and continued to violate traffic rules already in this car.
But these are not all of Kuzminykh's administrative offenses. Later, the police detained the scandalous MP for drinking alcohol in public places. According to UNN, this happened in the center of the capital in a park on Shevchenko Boulevard. And for his actions, the MP paid a fine of 51 hryvnias.
Despite all the facts of violation of the law, Kuzminykh stubbornly clings to his deputy mandate and does not plan to leave the Verkhovna Rada committee on public health. This is obviously another confirmation of the "nobility" of the MP.