Position: former head of the department of communal property and land relations of the municipal economy department of the Mukachevo City Council of the Transcarpathian region.
Sphere of corruption: agricultural.
Region of corruption: Transcarpathia.
Qualification: Part 2 of Article 28, Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
Status: released on bail of UAH 5 million.
Case story: In June 2024, NABU and SAPO detained Mukachevo Mayor Andriy Baloga and former People's Deputy Mykhailo Lanyo. According to the investigation, the Mayor of Mukachevo ensured that a decision was made at a session of the City Council to sell a plot of land at a price almost 9 times lower than the original price to a private company, the actual controller of which is the Chairman of the District Council, former People's Deputy Mykhailo Lanyo.
The basis for this was an expert monetary valuation with an understated value of the plot, for which the owners of the appraisal company were bribed. As a result of such transactions, land with a market value of 84.6 million UAH was sold for only 9.6 million UAH.
Despite such a meager price, the mayor, by personal decision, also granted the company a 6-month payment deferral. The losses to the territorial community amount to UAH 74.9 million.
NABU detectives also reported suspicions to four more individuals: the former head of the municipal property and land relations department of the city council, Artur Samilyak; two founders of the appraisal company and an appraiser.
In June, the Supreme Court of Ukraine applied a preventive measure to former Mukachevo City Council member Samilyak. The NABU detective and the SAPO prosecutor requested Samilyak's arrest with the alternative of UAH 10.1 million in bail. The defense objected to granting this request and considered the suspicion unfounded.
The motion is partially granted. The suspect Artur Samilyak is to be placed in custody for a period of 60 days as a preventive measure.
At the same time, he was set an alternative bail of UAH 5 million. In the event of posting bail, the following obligations will be imposed on him: to appear upon every demand; not to leave the city of Mukachevo; to report a change in his place of residence and/or work; to refrain from communicating with other suspects and witnesses; to surrender his foreign passports and wear an electronic bracelet. UAH 5 million of bail was posted for him. Therefore, the suspect was subject to the following obligations: to appear upon the first summons; not to leave the Zakarpattia region without permission; to report a change in his place of residence and work; to refrain from communicating with suspects and witnesses in this criminal proceeding; to surrender his foreign passports and wear an electronic bracelet.
Later, the court canceled the obligation to wear an electronic bracelet, since Samilyak was never given one.
In December 2024, the Court once again extended the duties of the former member of the Mukachevo City Council.
The prosecutor of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office requested that the remaining duties be continued.
The prosecutor's motion to extend the term of the duties assigned to the suspect (Samilyak – ed.) is granted. The term of the duties assigned to the suspect is extended by two months. The term of the duties assigned to the suspect is set until February 16, 2025.
Persons potentially involved in corruption schemes:
The Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office reported suspicions to the Mayor of Mukachevo, Zakarpattia Oblast, Andriy Baloza, and the Head of the Mukachevo District Council, Mykhailo Lan, of abuses during the sale of land in the city for almost UAH 75 million.
The actions of the mayor are qualified under Part 2 of Article 28, Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The head of the district council is charged under Part 3 of Article 27, Part 2 of Article 28, Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
NABU detectives also reported suspicion to four more individuals: the former head of the municipal property and land relations department of the city council, Samilyak, two founders of the appraisal company, and the appraiser.
Photo: Mukachevo Mayor Andriy Baloha
Photo: Head of the Mukachevo District Council Mykhailo Lanyo
Assets: in the declaration upon dismissal from 01.01.2024 to 16.04.2024, Samilyak declared a land plot, a residential building, an apartment and non-residential premises. In addition, he indicated a SKODA OCTAVIA COMBI A7 car belonging to his wife.
Samilyak also indicated 128,507 hryvnias in salary. Samilyak has 20,000 dollars and 10,000 euros in cash, while his wife has 500,000 hryvnias in cash.
Persons who should have reacted: in the case of Samilyak, law enforcement officers reacted in a timely manner.
Scandals: There is no information in open sources about other scandals in which Samilyak would appear.
Sources:
https://www.slovoidilo.ua/2024/06/26/novyna/polityka/sap-povidomyla-pro-pidozru-meru-mukacheva
https://public.nazk.gov.ua/documents/56a6d413-bf2e-4a72-bca1-bfb583fb8110