"People simply don't understand": The mayor of Mykolaiv addresses the controversy surrounding the trimming of plane trees on Soborna Street.

The Mayor of Mykolaiv, Oleksandr Senkevych, commented on the controversy surrounding the pruning of plane trees on Soborna Street.

He made these remarks during the live broadcast of the "Dialogue" program.

According to Oleksandr Senkevych, he initially did not want to get involved in this scandal, as discussing how to prune plane trees is not the responsibility of the city mayor. However, he felt compelled to comment due to the protests held by Mykolaiv residents on Soborna Street.

- I would prefer not to comment on this and would say that the matter of how to prune plane trees in Mykolaiv is not a question for the city mayor. There are dendrologists and arborists, as well as ecological and other necessary structural divisions that can establish the regulations for how to do this. However, I suppose it is necessary to comment. This is because we had this picket or gathering in the city center. People were gathering there with posters and sticking labels on the trees, - said the mayor.

He emphasized that Mykolaiv is not the only city in the world with plane trees. The mayor pointed out that previously, no one had pruned or shaped the trees in Mykolaiv, which is why the residents are unaware of how it should look. Additionally, Oleksandr Senkevych mentioned that when he was abroad, he observed and photographed how tree pruning is conducted there; photos were also shown during the program.

- There are many cities around the world where they have learned how to prune trees and have done so. Secondly, we have lost a lot of time, as these trees have not been pruned since they were planted, and the issue of tree pruning and shaping in Mykolaiv has always been considered "untimely." There are more pressing matters for the use of budget funds. We started this work and received a significant amount of "hate" because people do not understand how it should be carried out. I will not comment on how this should be done. I have seen this in many places and have even sent some journalists photos from various countries where I observed and photographed these plane trees. This should be handled by professionals: cutting branches, assessing their condition, and applying paste. Recently, there was a briefing by the municipal enterprise "Parks," and they explained everything there. Although I am sure that the political aspect of tree pruning will still "surface," and we will have more briefings in the near future, - concluded Oleksandr Senkevych.

On the morning of Wednesday, January 8, workers from the municipal enterprise "Mykolaiv Parks" began pruning trees again on Soborna Street in Mykolaiv. Police officers, representatives from the State Ecological Inspection of the Southwestern District, and the director of the municipal enterprise, Dmytro Chuchmay, arrived at the scene. The police halted the tree pruning activities.

The Mykolaiv Regional Council held a meeting of the permanent deputy commission "on environmental issues" concerning the controversial pruning of plane trees on Soborna Street in Mykolaiv. Following the meeting, the commission members decided to thoroughly examine the activities of the municipal enterprise "Mykolaiv Parks."