Nearly 197 million in “overpayments”: prosecutors investigate Mykolaiv City Hall’s spending
“Mykolaivelektrotrans” is challenging the auditors’ findings in court
The Mykolaiv City Council has received requests from the regional prosecutor’s office regarding public transport funding from 2022 to 2025. The investigation concerns UAH 196.8 million, which the State Audit Service identified as an overpayment to the municipal enterprise Mykolaivelektrotrans following an audit in 2026. Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych spoke about the situation.
According to the mayor, the auditors’ concerns related to the methodology used to calculate the cost of transportation, rather than how the enterprise spent the funds it received. The city paid for passenger transportation, and Mykolaivelektrotrans used the money to pay employees’ salaries, repair rolling stock, and keep its routes running.
The enterprise disagrees with the audit findings and is challenging them in court, Sienkevych stressed. An independent forensic economic examination has also been commissioned.
The city council is currently gathering documents and reviewing the question of officials’ authority. Oleksandr Sienkevych did not rule out that officials from the city council and employees of Mykolaivelektrotrans could later be formally notified of suspicion. At the same time, he said the city authorities were ready to cooperate with law enforcement, provide the necessary documents, and answer questions.
The possible repayment of the funds is a separate issue. The mayor noted that if the enterprise is ordered to repay them, the city will have to determine where the money will come from, since the funding received has already been spent on public transport operations.
There is no final decision yet on the findings of the State Audit Service. In the mayor’s view, the dispute should ultimately be resolved by the court and the examination.
We previously reported:
- Five to oversee Mykolaivelektrotrans: who is vying for seats on the supervisory board
- Nearly UAH 197 million in question: court to review budget payments to Mykolaivelektrotrans
- €3.083 million for Mykolaiv and over €40 million for the region: agreements signed with NEFCO
- Sienkevych says it is unfair that Mykolaiv does not receive compensation like Kharkiv
- Official caught taking a bribe for removing a Mykolaivelektrotrans tender from the ProZorro system






