The Association of City Mayors recently reiterated claims of alleged pressure from the prosecution authorities on local self-government bodies.

The Office of the Prosecutor General is open to dialogue, but we will speak not in slogans, but in facts.

Practice shows: the loudest talk about "pressure" occurs precisely when law enforcement agencies document the embezzlement of budget funds. These are the citizens' money, taxpayers' money, which should work for the people, not end up in someone’s pockets. It sounds frankly strange to talk about pressure from local self-government bodies and city mayors, who should primarily be interested in exposing corruption at the local level.

Regarding numbers and facts.

From July 1, 2025, to the present, pre-trial investigations have been completed and 528 criminal proceedings have been sent to court regarding 656 defendants.

Among them:

• 177 officials of local self-government bodies, of which 111 are in leadership positions;
• 188 officials of communal enterprises, of which 132 are leaders;
• 41 officials of the VCA, OVA, RDA, of which 22 are leaders;
• 224 individuals – employees of business entities, contractors, technical supervisors.

In another 234 criminal proceedings, pre-trial investigations are ongoing, but 350 individuals have already been notified of suspicion, including:

• 75 officials of local self-government bodies (55 – leadership positions);
• 102 officials of communal enterprises (63 – leaders);
• 18 officials of the VCA, OVA, RDA (12 – leaders);
• 152 representatives of business and contractors.

In the cases that have already been sent to court, damages have been established at 759 million UAH, of which 56.4 million UAH were reimbursed during the investigation.

In the proceedings where suspicions have been announced, an additional 762.8 million UAH in damages have been established, of which 3 million UAH have already been reimbursed.

The mentioned criminal offenses are not isolated cases and are certainly not "political persecution."

These facts have been recorded in most areas of communal services:

• housing and communal services,
• energy,
• education, sports, culture,
• medicine,
• landscaping,
• roads,
• transport,
• social protection,
• land and real estate,
• procurement for the needs of the Armed Forces.

When it comes to such figures, discussions about "pressure" seem like an attempt to shift the focus from responsibility to loud statements.

The prosecution is not at war with local self-government.

The prosecution is doing its job by exposing facts of corruption and abuses of budget funds, regardless of positions, statuses, or political views.

And if someone feels "pressure," then the OGP has a specially created portal where one can submit their statement, and it will definitely be considered.

For crimes, one must be held accountable, and this is not pressure from the prosecution or other law enforcement agencies. This is how the law is finally starting to work.

This is how the interests of communities and the state are protected.

And this is how the prosecution authorities will continue to act.