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Energoatom faced with 'criminal scheme'

Thursday, 7 October 2021

Energoatom of Ukraine has had its bank accounts seized by the country's Ministry of Justice over a relatively small debt from 2011. The company called the action "sabotage against the state", as the union of nuclear power workers prepares to protest outside the ministry.

Energoatom faced with 'criminal scheme' — Energoatom's headquarters in Kiev (Image: Energoatom)

The matter stems from a UAH2.5 million (USD 94,000) debt to TVEL, the fuel manufacturing subsidiary of Russia's Rosatom, which was bought by a company called Ukrelectrovat which then brought about the court case.

Along the way, Energoatom said an "absolutely illegal increase in the amount of debt by more than 50 times the amount of actual liability" was approved in 2014 by the Kiev Commercial Court. Energoatom also disputes the validity of a February court decision to resume enforcement proceedings. Now, the State Executive Service has used its powers to seize Energoatom accounts and settle the demand, which stands at UAH127 million.

"This could lead to multimillion losses for Energoatom, which will be forced to comply with the decision to recover the artificially created debt," the company said. "In addition, the seizure of the accounts of Energoatom by the enforcement authorities jeopardises the implementation of measures for the safe operation of domestic nuclear power plants, payment of taxes, payment of wages, etc."

Energoatom issued a statement entitled, "Energoatom will not allow sabotage against the state". It appealed to the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine, the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, the State Bureau of Investigation, the Security Service of Ukraine, the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine and the National Police of Ukraine: "We demand urgent measures to prevent the robbery of a strategic state enterprise - the operator of four Ukrainian nuclear power plants - to investigate the criminal scheme of recovery of non-existent debts from Energoatom."

Trade union Atomprofspilka appealed to President Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal "to immediately intervene in the situation regarding ... illegal actions of officials of the State Executive Service, which may lead to negative consequences for the energy industry of our country." The union announced protests outside the Ministry of Justice and the State Executive Service on 8 October.