An interview with restaurateur Savva Libkin \u2014 on the business climate in Odesa, pressure on private property, and the fight for the restaurant \u201cDacha.\u201d<\/p>\n
Entrepreneur Savva Libkin shares his experience running a business, prolonged legal battles with state authorities, and attempts at corporate raiding. In a candid interview with\u00a0LDaily, Libkin speaks openly about the challenges of protecting property rights in Ukraine and the risks faced not only by large enterprises but also by small businesses across the country.<\/p>\n
LDaily: How has your business changed over the past two years? What is happening now in Odesa’s restaurant industry? What challenges do you face on a daily basis?<\/strong><\/p>\n S. Libkin: <\/strong>How has it changed? To be honest, I don\u2019t even know how to answer that \u2014 there\u2019s a war going on.We\u2019re still operating, and that alone is already quite an achievement.<\/p>\n On the other hand, the main difficulties come not only from Russian military aggression but, unfortunately, also from Ukrainian officials.<\/p>\n What can I compare it to? That\u2019s a complicated and ambiguous question because the war affects everyone and everything. That\u2019s why I\u2019d rather not delve too deeply into the topic \u2014 I doubt I can say anything fundamentally new.<\/p>\n LDaily:\u00a0Many Ukrainian restaurateurs are now opening venues abroad. Have you considered expanding your business outside Ukraine? Why or why not?<\/strong><\/p>\n S. Libkin: <\/strong>My specialty, my passion, my religion is Odesa cuisine. I\u2019m committed to making Odesa cuisine as well-known and beloved as the city itself.<\/p>\n And most importantly: right now, all my energy is focused on fighting the prosecutor\u2019s office and fending off corporate raids on my restaurant.<\/p>\n LDaily:\u00a0How would you describe the current business climate in Odesa? Do you see signs of recovery, or does uncertainty still prevail?<\/strong><\/p>\n S. Libkin: <\/strong>For me, the situation surrounding the restaurant Dacha<\/em>is the clearest indicator of the current business climate \u2014 not only in Odesa, but in the country as a whole. It\u2019s obvious that the issue of private property rights in Ukraine remains unresolved. Property protection is still not a matter of state policy, but rather a personal responsibility for each individual owner.<\/p>\n LDaily:\u00a0You invested around $2 million in creating the\u00a0Dacha<\/em>\u00a0restaurant on the grounds of the former Chkalov Sanatorium. Since 2019, you\u2019ve faced ongoing legal disputes over the property. What are the main claims from the prosecutor\u2019s office, and how are you responding?<\/strong><\/p>\n S. Libkin: <\/strong>This year marks the 21st anniversary of the Dacha<\/em>restaurant. For the past five years, the prosecutor\u2019s office has been trying to seize our private property. I mean exactly that \u2014 to seize it. This has been initiated at the level of the General Prosecutor\u2019s Office and is being aggressively pushed by the regional prosecutor\u2019s office. There are specific individuals involved in this \u2014 one from the General Prosecutor\u2019s Office, another from the regional office.<\/p>\n Since they failed to confiscate the building itself, they\u2019ve now joined forces with the management of the Chkalov Sanatorium. So at this point, we\u2019re effectively being targeted by two state institutions at once.<\/p>\n And that\u2019s not all. Just recently, under pressure from the prosecutor\u2019s office, local police departments opened a criminal case against the director of my company \u2014 simply because the prosecutors demanded it.<\/p>\n I understand that the country is at war and the main focus is on the front lines. But under the cover of these circumstances, a redistribution of property is underway, and certain government officials are acting with complete impunity.<\/p>\n LDaily:\u00a0How are the ongoing legal proceedings affecting the day-to-day operations of the restaurant and its staff?<\/strong><\/p>\n S. Libkin: <\/strong>First of all, cars belonging to our guests are no longer allowed onto the premises of the Dacha<\/em>restaurant \u2014 this is being enforced under direct orders from the sanatorium\u2019s director.<\/p>\n Second, the criminal case was initiated based on a complaint from this same director, with active support from the prosecutor\u2019s office. For now, visitors are still allowed to enter the premises on foot, but it feels like that\u2019s only a matter of time. We don\u2019t know what tomorrow will bring.<\/p>\n LDaily:\u00a0What steps are you taking to protect your investments and business amid the ongoing disputes with state authorities?<\/strong><\/p>\n S. Libkin: <\/strong>We\u2019ve once again turned to the courts. Legal proceedings are ongoing constantly. We win \u2014 in trial courts, in appeals, and even at the Supreme Court. But the prosecutor\u2019s office just opens a new case. It\u2019s a vicious cycle. It\u2019s clear they are trying to take away private property by any means necessary.<\/p>\n And I see the issue as much broader than my case. Unfortunately, this is a threat to the entire privatization system. If they manage to take the premises from me \u2014 despite years of legal battles, multiple court victories including at the Supreme Court, strong public support, and a solid legal team \u2014 what chance does the average small or medium business owner have?<\/p>\n LDaily:\u00a0What advice would you give to entrepreneurs who might face similar challenges?<\/strong><\/p>\n S. Libkin: <\/strong>If someone tries to take your property, I strongly advise: do not pay them. Instead, fight for your rights in court and bring the issue into the public spotlight. 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