ZHAR.INFO journalist Maria Turchyna has contacted the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights over the state-owned company Khmelnytskyi Oblast Procurement Service refusing to disclose documents concerning a tender consultant involved in procurement for a bomb shelter construction project. The Commissioner will open proceedings to review the complaint, Maria Turchyna reported to Alyona Bereza, the Institute of Mass Information’s representative in Khmelnytskyi oblast. She shared copies of her query to the company, the company’s response, and the complaint filed with the Commissioner.
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Maria Turchyna submitted a query for information to the company on 21 July 2026, asking for contracts or other documents relating to tender consultations in two procurements for the construction of a bomb shelter for Horodok Lyceum No. 2. In her query, the journalist pointed out that the tender documentation stipulated that the consultant’s services would be paid for by the procurement winner, in the amount of 130,000 hryvnias excluding VAT.
In a response dated 28 July, the company claimed that the requested documents were unrelated to the use of budget funds and were not of public interest. It also cited a confidentiality clause in the signed contract. The journalist did not receive any documents signed with the consultants.
On 1 September, Maria Turchyna filed a complaint with the Commissioner, believing the refusal violated her right to access public information.
Turchyna said that she needed the documents to identify the tender consultant, the terms of their involvement, and the reason why it was the procurement winner who was supposed to pay for their services.
Oksana Kizaieva, the Commissioner’s representative in Khmelnytskyi oblast, responsed with an official letter saying that the complaint would be reviewed as part of the Commissioner’s proceedings.
“In order to fully and comprehensively clarify all the details set out in your complaint, and given the need for additional oversight measures, the further review of the complaint will be carried out as part of proceedings by the Commissioner,” the letter states.
Kizaieva promised that the journalist would be notified of the outcome later.