One of Kyiv’s most famous floating nightclubs, River Palace, was towed away by the police on the orders of prosecutor general on July 29.
One of Kyiv’s most famous floating nightclubs, River Palace, was towed away by the police on the orders of prosecutor general on July 29.
Other restaurants were ordered to leave their riverside locations by the end of August. Officials say they will be able to return as soon as a maintenance check of the wharf is completed. But the restaurant managers say there is more to the story.
Viktoria Medvedeva, head of the PR department of Perlyna Dnipra floating hotel, said the government is trying to get rid of the riverside hospitality industry because they have a new investor. Her hotel might be next to be towed away. “If this is true then we are dealing with a raider attack backed by the government which is really scary,” she said.
The first restaurant taken away on Naberezhno-Khreshchatytska Street on July 8 was Murakami of the Kozyrna Karta chain. Representatives of the chain threatened to sue local authorities.
But Yuriy Boychenko, spokesman for the Prosecutor General’s Office , said that “Murakami is not the only restaurant in violation of the law. We have already opened criminal cases. According to information at our disposal, they are not paying taxes and do not follow city port rules.”
Kozyrna Karta lawyer Oleksandr Chernykh said, however, that they have all necessary permits and a contract with Ukraine’s State Property Fund. “According to the contract, we pay a rent of Hr 300 [around $37] per square meter, which amounts to Hr 12,000 monthly,” said Chernykh. “And we do not break any rules whatsoever, so I have no idea what law violations they are talking about.”
Kozyrna Karta is preparing to appeal in court.
For now, the floating restaurant remains under arrest near Kyiv’s Rybalsky Island across the river.
Medvedeva said Perlyna Dnipra hotel and others are fully booked for September and October and are getting calls from worried guests, who have paid for their stay. “We are also registered as the hotel hosting guests for Euro 2012 football championship and have contracts signed,” said Medvedeva.
Contracts or not, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications says all floating facilities will be removed. “We have complaints from experts who are worried that Naberezhno-Khreshchatytska Street is in a very bad technical condition,” said ministry spokesman Eldar Salimov. “Specialists have to conduct a study there. We will set the date and reach an agreement with each owner.”
However, there is no schedule for checks, and owners fear they will not be allowed back.
“As far as we understand, it has little to do with maintenance. The Ministry of Transportation is simply trying to get a hold of the wharf to make us sign a contract with them, instead of the State Property Fund,” said Chernych. “After the maintenance, only those who reach an agreement with the ministry will be allowed back.”
Kyiv Post Staff writer Svitlana Tuchynska can be reached at [email protected]
