The western Ukrainian city of Lviv has found itself with two mayors after a Kyiv court decision returned a previously sacked mayor to office, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service reports.
In the fall of 2005, the Lviv City Council sent Mayor Lubomyr Buniak packing, accusing him of not fulfilling campaign promises.
Buniak's supporters say he was ousted because he cracked down on graft and corruption, and he took the council's decision to court.
A Kyiv regional court reinstated him, but the Lviv City Council voted to sack him again. Buniak took the case back to court, but Lviv held new elections in the spring of 2006 and elected Andriy Sadovyi as mayor.
After working his way through five courts, Buniak has now been reinstated as mayor by a Kyiv administrative court, effective June 1.
Buniak is now seeking three years’ back pay as well as compensation for the problems the council caused him.
Sadovyi is on vacation and could not be reached for comment.
In the fall of 2005, the Lviv City Council sent Mayor Lubomyr Buniak packing, accusing him of not fulfilling campaign promises.
Buniak's supporters say he was ousted because he cracked down on graft and corruption, and he took the council's decision to court.
A Kyiv regional court reinstated him, but the Lviv City Council voted to sack him again. Buniak took the case back to court, but Lviv held new elections in the spring of 2006 and elected Andriy Sadovyi as mayor.
After working his way through five courts, Buniak has now been reinstated as mayor by a Kyiv administrative court, effective June 1.
Buniak is now seeking three years’ back pay as well as compensation for the problems the council caused him.
Sadovyi is on vacation and could not be reached for comment.