Hotel and apartment reservation in Kiev Ukraine

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Local politicians fight over land, real estate deals in Kyiv

Kyiv city council turned into a wrestling ring as several fights broke out in the session hall on March 2. Opposition deputies from Vitali Klitschko’s bloc tried to invite members of trade unions of two municipal markets to voice their protest against privatization of these major municipal properties, an item on the offical agenda that day. The guards at the session hall allegedly started pushing and shoving, preventing members of the public as well as some city council deputies from entering the session hall. “In the morning we followed the procedure and submitted the list of people we invited to the city council session. But the power has ignored once again,” said heavyweight boxing champion Klitschko, who ended up in the middle of the fight. The opposition protests succeeded in cancelling these privatization plans for Volodymyrsky and Zhytniy markets that day.
Also on March 2, Verkhovna Rada deputy Kyrylo Kulikov had a fight with head of the city council Oles Dovhiy, who accused Kulikov of disrespecting his grandfather. Kulikov regularly comes to city council sessions to lobby on various issues. One of his crusades against construction on 17-23 Honchara Street ended successfully on Feb. 2, when the city council voted to halt building on the site because it is formally a part of St. Sofia Cathedral.
The city’s other major hot spots at the moment include Syayvo bookstore on 6 Chernovoarmiyska Street that was privatized by the city through a non-transparent auction recently, and a construction site on 3-5 Prorizna Street where permission for building an entertainment complex were issued by the city without the community residents’ consent. Protesting the construction, residents pulled down the fence around it on Feb. 12.

The Grand Ol’ Godfather of Real Estate Dealing

Coming to deepest, darkest Ukraine to do business in the early nineties was a very brave thing to do, but many came, willing to risk everything investing in the new country. One of the very first people to do so was real estate expert Terry Pickard who dropped into Kyiv 17 years ago. He tells us about his time here, and the interesting things he’s seen and experienced over the years.
What were you thinking, coming to a place like this so soon after independence?
Why did I come here? A new market, a population of 48 million: what an opportunity! I was the first western property developer to come here. Of course as soon as Ukraine got independence the major countries of the world needed to set up Embassies and in a little bit of a hurry. I think the Austrians were first but all the rest quickly followed. So today I think there are about 70, and certainly, back then, where there are Embassies there is a need for offices. And that’s what I started doing – supplying offices for these people. I have been here so long my staff think I should get honourary Ukrainian citizenship, and during an initiation ceremony which included a lot of vodka and salo, they gave me a certificate with my Ukrainian name on it – Taras Pickardenko
What do you feel have been your biggest achievements in Ukraine, professionally and personally?
Professionally is the fact that I have survived 17 years in this business and 3 economic declines. After every decline the company managed to expand. So today we have a staff of 41 operating from a modern city centre office which we own. Another thing which I am particularly proud of is that my two most senior directors have both been with me for over 12 years and consequently they have also helped the company to survive the crises. Several other members of staff have been here for over 10 years as well, a record of consistency which apparently is unusual in this country. The biggest achievement I’ve made in my personal life was meeting Sveta, my partner of 14 years.
From www.whatson-kiev.com by Paul Niland

Kiev flat rental

4th floor of 5-storey old building, total area – 100 sq. m, the high of ceiling -3.2 m.; 2 separate bedrooms, big hall, dining- and living-room; 2 TV-sets (satellite channels), DVD, 2 music players, 2 air conditioners.