Security forces are once again putting pressure on businesses: the Shabunin case and the story with X-Park — Shalayskyi

Security forces are once again putting pressure on businesses: the Shabunin case and the story with X-Park — Shalayskyi

Ukrainian law enforcement continues to use proven schemes of pressure on businesses, under the guise of criminal cases against officials.

This is reported by journalist Oleksa Shalayskyi, citing examples from his own experience.

According to him, in the case of the head of the Anti-Corruption Action Center, Vitaliy Shabunin, who was accused by the State Bureau of Investigations of allegedly illegal business travel, a classic scheme was applied: formally, a case is opened against the official, but the real goal is to block the activities of the related business or structure.

"We think that the business trip assigned to you by your superiors is illegal. Therefore, we will accuse you," Shalayskyi sarcastically comments.

He provides another example — the story of Kyiv’s X-Park near the Northern Bridge. An entrepreneur who won an investment competition and developed a water sports park there faced pressure from law enforcement due to formal violations of the investment agreement. For instance, the installation of a mobile communication tower with a foundation that was not stipulated in the agreement became the basis for initiating two criminal cases at once — by the State Bureau of Investigations and the police.

Instead of transferring the case to court and lifting the arrests on the assets, the case is kept in limbo. Shalayskyi explains: "It is impossible to jail the entrepreneur — the case is about official negligence by the official. But while it is not in court, the arrests can remain. And this means the business can be ’milked’ forever."

The journalist is convinced: Shabunin’s case will also never go to court — not only due to a lack of evidence but also because it is part of an already established scheme.

"The scheme has worked thousands of times, and it will work once more," Shalayskyi concludes.