Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko congratulated the people of Kyiv on the City Day, the press service of the Kyiv City State Administration reported.
“Kyiv… Ancient and modern. Cozy and energetic. Our city has been standing on the hills of the Dnieper for 1540 years already! Proud, rebellious, beautiful. And together we make it even better! For the soul of the city is its people! Happy Kyiv Day, dear people of Kiev! Happy birthday, our beloved city! Glory to Ukraine! Glory to Kyiv!”, the press service quotes Klitschko’s words.
It is noted that on Sunday Kyiv is 1540 years old from the date of its foundation.
Kyiv will have a restoration plan “one day after the war,” Mayor Vitali Klitschko told Interfax-Ukraine following talks at the World Economic Forum (WEF).
“Everyone is stressing that we should prepare a plan for the day after the war: where and what we plan to do,” he told Interfax-Ukraine on Wednesday on the sidelines of the Ukrainian Breakfast hosted by the Pinchuk Foundation in Davos, host of the WEF.
According to Klitschko, separate projects for the renewal of infrastructure, logistics and the construction of a number of facilities are planned even for wartime.
At the same time, the mayor said that due to problems with the execution of the national budget, the capital is experiencing difficulties in accessing its own funds in the State Treasury.
“We have the city’s money in the Treasury, but there is no money in the Treasury. That is, we have money virtually, but not really,” he said.
Answering the question whether it is possible in such circumstances, Kyiv, following the example of the government, will also turn to the issuance of war bonds, Klitschko said: “Maybe.”
In the middle of May, the mayor estimated the cost of restoring all damaged buildings in the city at more than EUR 70 million.
Of the 3.5 million inhabitants of Kyiv, two-thirds have already returned to the capital, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
“Before the war, 3.5 million Kyivans were in our city… Almost two-thirds of Kyivans have already returned,” Klitschko said on the air of the National Telethon on Tuesday.
The mayor noted that there are still many restrictions in Kyiv due to the martial law: there is a curfew, there are still a large number of checkpoints, there is still a possibility of shelling the capital, and in the forest zone of the suburbs all territories have not yet been cleared of mines, there are many explosive objects, and therefore visiting green areas is prohibited. .
“That is, there are many restrictions. And if these restrictions do not scare you, then you can really return,” Klitschko said.
He stressed that he could not forbid the people of Kiev to return to the capital, but could only recommend.
“If you have the opportunity to be in more protected places, where there is no risk to your life and health, please stay. But if possible, we will not mind returning to our homes today,” the mayor said.
In the capital of Ukraine will return the fare in public transport, said the mayor of Kyiv Vitaliy Klitschko.
“We are already switching to paid travel in public transport,” Klitschko said on the air of the National Telethon on Tuesday.
At the same time, the mayor of the city did not specify when exactly the paid travel would resume, but noted that the price for it remains the same (UAH 8).
Klitschko explained the restoration of paid travel in public transport by the need to replenish the city budget.
“We understand that we now have a large amount of energy resources that we need, and electricity, and wages for our utilities, employees, and I can honestly say that the city will not pull, because the budget must be replenished,” the mayor said.
As reported, since February 24, due to the martial law associated with the military aggression of the Russian Federation, public transport in the capital has been free of charge.
According to preliminary calculations, Kyiv city budget will lose one third of its revenues, i.e. more than UAH 20 billion, because of the Russian aggression, according to the press service of mayor of the Ukrainian capital Vitali Klitschko.
He noted that today it is impossible to calculate this amount accurately because the war is still going on. “It is not quite correct to make monthly calculations because the budget is envisaged for one year. In general for 2022 we, according to preliminary calculations, will receive a third of the budget shortfall. That is more than UAH 20 billion. But, I emphasize, that these are preliminary estimates,” Klitschko said on the air of radio NV.
The mayor noted that at present the city’s economy is slowly coming back to life, businesses are coming back to work. Also, the percentage of payment for utility services provided is growing in the capital.
“For example, 55% of Kyiv citizens paid for utilities for March. And I am very grateful to them for that since these funds were spent for the necessary materials. They were spent on salaries to employees of enterprises, who, often risking their lives, provide the city with all services,” said Klitschko.
11 modern passenger buses from Riga and humanitarian aid have arrived in Kyiv, Mayor of the Ukrainian capital Vitaliy Klitschko said.
“Friends! Today, our Latvian partners, a delegation from the Riga Mayor’s Office, donated 11 modern passenger buses to Kyiv as assistance. And also humanitarian aid,” the mayor of Kyiv wrote on his telegram channel on Saturday.
Klitschko thanked Vice Mayor of Riga Edwards Smiltens for his visit to personally convey this assistance. “For us, this is evidence of Latvia’s solidarity with Ukraine, its capital, with the Ukrainian people in our struggle for our independence and freedom,” he said.
Each bus has a print of a symbolic hugging mural created in Riga by a Latvian artist.
The city authorities of Riga are considering the possibility of transferring more than 30 buses to Kyiv.
