On suspicion of bribery arrested Bohdan Dubnevych’s deputy Mykola Pushchak, - prosecutor’s office

On suspicion of bribery arrested Bohdan Dubnevych’s deputy Mykola Pushchak, - prosecutor’s office

The first deputy head of Solonkivska UTC, Mykola Pushchak, was detained for a bribe on Wednesday, September 18.

The detention was confirmed by sources in law enforcement agencies. Mykola Pushchak demanded money from a local businessman for assistance in the division of a land plot.

«According to the investigation, the official demanded a $4,000 bribe from the businessman. For this money, he promised to assist in obtaining a favorable decision from the village council on the division of the land plot rented by the businessman. The man has now been detained and informed of the suspicion,» the prosecution reported.

The detainee was charged with receiving a bribe (Part 3, Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). A measure of restraint will soon be selected for him.

It is worth noting that the first to report the detention of the 39-year-old Mykola Pushchak was the advisor to the head of Lviv RMA, Oleh Radik, emphasizing that it was about a $4,000 bribe. The head of Solonkivska UTC, Bohdan Dubnevych, in a comment, said that his deputy Mykola Pushchak is on vacation, so he knows nothing about any detention. Mykola Pushchak’s phone is turned off.

Let us recall that on August 23, the Department of Strategic Investigations of the National Police detained the deputy head of Solonkivska UTC, Andriy Zhytachko, for a bribe. According to law enforcement, he demanded money for assistance in obtaining ownership rights for a house and a land plot. Bohdan Dubnevych, on the day of the detention, could neither confirm nor deny the information about Zhytachko’s detention. However, later, the court published a ruling stating that the village head dismissed Zhytachko on the day of the detention. The police informed Zhytachko of the suspicion of receiving a large-scale bribe (Part 3, Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). He faces eight to twelve years of imprisonment with confiscation of property and a ban on holding certain positions for three years. The court selected a measure of restraint for the detainee in the form of custody, with the possibility of posting bail of 241,840 UAH.

Additionally, in 2020, Andriy Zhytachko, along with Mykola Pushchak, drove a Mercedes G 500 onto the porch of a high-rise building in Pustomyty. Both men were deputies of the «European Solidarity» at that time, but after the incident, they were expelled from the party. In a conversation with the media, Mykola Pushchak denied his involvement in the situation.

Mykola Pushchak was the head of the Zhyryvskyi village council, which is part of Solonkivska UTC. In 2020, he planned to run for the head of Solonkivska UTC from the European Solidarity party but publicly supported Bohdan Dubnevych, who won. After that, Mykola Pushchak became a deputy of the Solonkivska UTC Council.

In 2016, the Pustomyty district court fined Mykola Pushchak for drunk driving in the center of Lviv. Also, in June 2020, Pushchak got into a fight with former National Guard soldier Yaroslav Belyk and his brother. Then men in a Mercedes Gelandewagen, whom Pushchak called his acquaintances, came to his aid.