Strip bars in the center of Lviv: will deputies vote for their relocation

Several Lviv deputies refused to comment on this issue.

03 July, 12:05

There are at least six strip bars operating in the center of Lviv – some literally thirty meters from the city council. Recently, Father Yurystin Boyko created a petition requesting their relocation outside the central part of the city. The petition gained the necessary votes, but the city council has not considered it for two months.

"Your City" came to a session of the Lviv City Council to ask in the corridors of the City Hall if the deputies plan to support Yurystin Boyko's petition to relocate the brothels.

Several deputies refused to comment on this issue. Some of them stated off the record that such a petition is populism. They claim there are no legal mechanisms for its implementation, as the premises with strip bars are private property.

But they do not want to express their opinion publicly, so as not to spoil their relationship with the clergy of Lviv or face the angry reaction of Yurystin Boyko.

Those deputies who agreed to comment believe that strip bars indeed do not belong in the historical tourist center. But few of them understand how their activities can be restricted.

"On one hand, such things should be regulated by common sense. On the other hand, there is Ukrainian legislation. And what is not prohibited by law is de facto allowed. This is the main conflict", – says Antin Borkovskiy, a deputy from "European Solidarity".

He is often seen at farewell ceremonies for soldiers on Rynok Square, so he is in solidarity with the author of the petition regarding the incompatibility of such things.

"Father Yurystin rightly pointed out that this is a disgrace. But such a resolution (for relocation. – Ed.) will have a declarative character, because we do not have the authority to seize, for example, private property", – added Borkovskiy.

"Lviv is the cultural capital of Ukraine. And, I think, we have our own traditions and beliefs. Therefore, this petition should be supported", – stated another deputy from "ES", Roman Hrysevych. He heads the Club of Greek Catholic Intelligentsia of Lviv and personally signed Yurystin Boyko's petition. However, he currently has no ideas on how to implement it.

Similarly, we did not hear about mechanisms to influence the businesses that maintain sex industry establishments in the center of Lviv from Dmytro Kolesnyk, head of the inter-factional deputy association "For Spirituality, Morality, and the Christian Path of Lviv's Development," which includes five deputies.

He believes that the issue of strip bars in the city center has been overdue for a long time.

"Many people who come to Lviv are very surprised that such a spiritual capital with so many churches is also the capital of strip clubs and similar establishments", – explained Dmytro Kolesnyk, who is part of the "Samopomich" faction. At the same time, he is unaware of his faction's position.

It is possible to influence businesses if there is a desire, believes deputy from "ES" Petro Adamyk. He calls the argument that the city lacks legal levers a deception.

"If we can excavate some object or disconnect an object from water through the water supply, we do not have the legal right to do so (– Ed.), but we can always influence it informally. If we have the desire, of course",– he explains.

And he recalls the example of the local authorities' fight against the gambling business, when slot machines were finally banned from being placed in small architectural forms.

"We were pressured, owners called from the Prosecutor General's Office. I was personally intimidated. But we managed, didn't we?" – says Petro Adamyk.

And he adds that the city authorities, for example, approve the external appearance and signs of establishments.

"That is, if a person does not have permits from the city, they will not be able to conduct the business they planned", – hints at a solution to the situation with strip bars, says the interlocutor.

Lyubomyr Melnychuk, a deputy from VO “Svoboda”, also speaks about the possible impact on sex industry establishments due to the disapproval of signs, and he unequivocally supports the idea of moving strip bars from the city center:

“We are all adults, so we understand that this kind of business exists. But perhaps we should put slightly different establishments on the storefront of our city. And turn a little towards morality, primarily Christian.”.

In his opinion, the city cannot dictate to businesses what and how to do. But it must “take a certain position”.

“For example, now the authorities are negotiating with all businesses in the historical center to make them inclusive. Similarly, we had a position not to extend leases for temporary structures if they sell alcohol.”, – clarifies Lyubomyr Melnychuk.

“Tvoe Misto” asked Lviv residents, tourists, deputies, the author of the petition to move strip bars, as well as the legal department, what they think about these establishments, whether they believe they should be moved, and whether there are any legal mechanisms at all for moving establishments away from the route regularly used for farewells to Ukrainian soldiers. Read all about it at the link.

#strip bars

Stay updated with the latest news and exclusive content.