Mayor Accused of Embezzlement – Resigns, Goes AWOL and Hides in Romania

The former mayor of Rakhiv has been accused by the authorities of embezzling budgetary funds, falsifying travel documents and fleeing the country illegally.

While under investigation by Ukraine’s national police, Viktor Medvyd abruptly resigned as town mayor in the Zakarpattia region and went on a three-day business trip, beginning on June 30.

As of Aug. 10, over 40 days later, the ex-mayor allegedly is still hiding from investigators in Romania.

“The [mayor] took advantage of his official position and, in order to leave the borders of Ukraine, arranged a business trip to neighboring Romania,” the press service of the Zakarpattia regional division of the National Police reported on Wednesday, August 9.

The police say such actions violate the Ukrainian criminal code regarding illegal transportation across the national border.

Although the trip was initially scheduled for just three days, the former mayor has yet to return to Ukraine, the statement reads.

Local media reports say that on June 30, Medvyd embarked on a business trip to the Romanian commune of Bistra. He personally authorized his own trip for a three-day period. According to the document, Medvyd was visiting Bistra to engage in discussions concerning the formulation of a new collaborative grant project.

The Internal Affairs Ministry listed Mayor Medvyd as wanted at the end of July. The ministry’s report indicated that Medvyd had been evading investigation since July 21. The 51-year-old mayor of Rakhiv is under suspicion for embezzlement of property through abuse of office and forgery of official documents.

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Concurrently, the Bureau of Economic Security in the Zakarpattia region has issued a suspicion notice targeting Rakhiv’s deputy mayor and the primary contractor involved. The investigation uncovered an embezzlement of Hr. 2.2 million ($60,000) during the construction of a rehabilitation and health center in Transcarpathia, funds that had been earmarked through international grant programs.

On Aug. 4, Viktor Medvyd resigned as mayor, but not until Aug. 9 did the Rakhiv City Council nullify his responsibilities, with 23 out of the 27 city council members voting for the measure to remove him from office.

This was the council’s second attempt; their previous effort on Aug. 7 failed to secure the necessary votes for Medvyd’s removal.