A dispute has arisen between Odessa City Hall and veterans
At an extraordinary session of the Odesa City Council on July 14, a dispute arose during the discussion of the issue of veterans’ representation on the executive committee.
During the remarks by representatives of the veterans’ community, the audio temporarily cut out during the official online broadcast of the meeting. In addition, participants in the discussion blocked the podium, leading to a tense atmosphere during the session.
The conflict stemmed from the issue of veterans’ participation in the work of city authorities and their representation on the executive committee.
Why the veterans blocked the podium
During the special session, a group of veterans present in the hall blocked the presidium’s podium and appealed to the deputies to include their representative on the city council’s executive committee.
Some council members actively supported the veterans and lobbied for veteran Vadym Shipulin to be appointed to this position.
However, Ihor Koval, the acting mayor of Odesa, did not put Shipulin’s candidacy to a vote.
Controversy in the Chamber and the Authorities’ Response
The acting mayor’s decision sparked an emotional debate in the chamber. At the height of the dispute, as the veterans tried to convey their position to city leaders, the audio suddenly cut out during the official livestream of the session.
As a result, the arguments of the veterans and the details of the discussion with the new city administration went unnoticed by the public following the session online. However, the veterans’ remarks were also posted on Facebook by the Trade Union of Defenders of Ukraine “Solidarity of the Unconquered.”
Eventually, the veterans vacated the podium and left the meeting hall. Afterward, Acting Mayor Ihor Koval called for “sitting down at the negotiating table” to develop uniform, transparent criteria for selecting a representative from among the veterans.
Once the veterans had left, the city council returned to its scheduled agenda—the allocation of funds and loans for municipal utilities.
This was reported with reference to the live broadcast of the session.
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