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Uralkali expresses readiness to help Russian investigators probing Baumgertner`s case

 

Uralkali is ready to provide assistance to the Investigative Committee of Russia as it probes a criminal case against Director General Vladislav Baumgertner, Aleksandr Voloshin, chairman of the Board of Directors of the Russian potash company, says in a statement.

"The Board of Directors and all employees of Uralkali respect the work of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation and are ready to provide all necessary assistance to the investigation," Mr. Voloshin says. "At the same time, the company does not have any data that would change its attitude to Vladislav Baumgertner. The Board of Directors is following the current situation and will take all necessary measures to protect the interests of Uralkali and its shareholders."

On October 21, the Basmanny District Court in Moscow ordered Mr. Baumgertner`s arrest at the request of the Investigative Committee of Russia. The Committee charged Mr. Baumgertner, who is currently held under house arrest in Minsk, with abuse of office.

Vladislav Baumgertner was arrested on August 26 as he was about to fly out of Minsk after a meeting with Belarusian Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich.

The Investigative Committee of Belarus said after the arrest that Mr. Baumgertner, who chaired the supervisory board of Belarusian Potash Company (BPC), was suspected of abuse of office and so were four other Russian executives who combined their duties in BPC and Uralkali. They include Oleg Petrov, a member of BPC`s supervisory board; Konstantin Solodovnikov, first deputy director general; Igor Yevstratov, deputy director general; Dmitry Samoilov, head of the freight department, and "other people."

A few days later, Belarusian authorities instituted criminal proceedings against Russian billionaire and Uralkali`s top shareholder Suleiman Kerimov.

The case is linked to Uralkali`s July 30 decision to de facto quit BPC, its joint trading arm with Belarusian potash giant Belaruskali. Belarusian investigators said in August that "criminal" actions by Mr. Baumgertner and other Uralkali managers had caused Belarus up to $100 million in damage. The Investigative Committee warned later that the amount of the damage could be revised upward.

Alyaksandr Lukashenka said last month that the charge against Mr. Baumgertner had been changed from abuse of office to embezzlement.

He warned on October 21 that Mr. Baumgertner would be extradited to Russia only if Belarus received "compensation" for Uralkali`s actions.

Pyotr Kisyalyow, spokesman for the Prosecutor General`s Office of Belarus, told BelaPAN on November 6 that the agency had received an extradition request for Mr. Baumgertner earlier in the day. //BelaPAN