Arsen Avakov: «Company of Firtash shall not block the process of privatization of the OPP» (VIDEO)
The Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov declared it on May 18 during the meeting of the Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers where terms and conditions of the Odessa portside plant (OPP) privatization were discussed. He also raised an issue of restricting participation of Russian firms in the privatization of OPP.
Arsen Avakov noted that today OPP owed about $200 million to the group Ostchem of Dmitry Firtash. At the same time, according to MIA, the Ostchem group owes billions of UAH to the Ukrainian state for gas.
“Some part of these debts to the state is already paid, some part is not paid yet, and some part has been restructured. But it is important that Ostchem group will not be able to block the process of OPP privatization by its demands"- stated the Minister.
In reply to Arsen Avakov the Head of the State Property Fund of Ukraine (SPF) Igor Bilous said that there were no current threats of disruption of the privatization tender. He also stressed that while there are concerns in the Ukrainian society regarding the participation of Russian companies in this tender, neither they, nor offshore companies would be allowed to participate in the OPP privatization.
"Let Russia privatize in Magadan" - commented Arsen Avakov.
Let us remind that earlier MIA opened two criminal investigations into activities of companies of Dmitry Firtash.
One of them is related to non-payment by the group Ostchem of UAH 5,7 billion to "Naftogaz of Ukraine" for the delivered gas, the second one - to the loss by Ukraine of the case in the Stockholm Arbitration Court about 11 billion cubic meters of gas.
Also in June 2015 criminal proceedings were opened about abuse of office by the staff of "Naftogaz of Ukraine". Former executives of “Naftogas” are suspected in collusion with executives and owners of "RosUkrEnergo" and "Group DF" (owned mostly by D.Firtash). "Centragas Holding AG", member of “Group DF”, owns 50% of "RosUkrEnergo" and Russian company "Gasprom" owns other 50%.
