In Chernivtsi, a municipal enterprise overpaid nearly 3.5 million UAH for electricity, rejecting the most advantageous offers.

Eighteen companies participated in the open bidding for the purchase of electricity for trolleybuses. The electronic system identified two participants who offered the most budget-friendly price.

However, the authorized person for public procurement, at the direction of the manager, rejected these offers. The explanation was formal – there was allegedly a risk of artificial price reduction, although the bidding conditions excluded such a possibility.

Instead, a contract was signed with another company. Its price was more than 8.4 million UAH higher than the offers from the winners identified by the system. As a result, the enterprise overpaid nearly 3.5 million UAH.

Under the procedural guidance of prosecutors from the Chernivtsi Regional Prosecutor's Office, one of the former directors of the Chernivtsi Trolleybus Administration and a public procurement specialist have been notified of suspicion of abuse of office committed in conspiracy by a group of individuals (Part 2 of Article 28, Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

The pre-trial investigation is being conducted by detectives of the Territorial Department of the Bureau of Economic Security in the Chernivtsi region.

Note: according to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in a lawful manner and established by a court verdict.