English

Uralkali CEO charged with power abuse

A formal charge was brought against Vladislav Baumgertner, director general of Russian potash company Uralkali, on August 29, the Russian Agency of Legal and Judicial Information reported with reference to Mr. Baumgertner`s lawyer, Aleksei Basistov.

The 41-year-old Baumgertner was arrested on August 26 as he was about to fly out of Minsk after a meeting with Belarusian Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich.

Pavel Travulka, spokesman for the Investigative Committee of Belarus, told BelaPAN after the arrest that Mr. Baumgertner, who chairs the supervisory board of Belarusian Potash Company (BPC), was suspected of power abuse and so were Oleg Petrov, a member of the company`s supervisory board; Konstantin Solodovnikov, first deputy director general; Igor Yevstratov, deputy director general; Dmitry Samoilov, head of the freight department, and "other people."

Criminal proceedings had been instituted against under the Criminal Code`s Article 424, which penalizes abuse of power, Mr. Travulka said.

The executives are believed to have abused their powers for mercenary purposes, which entailed significant harm to Belarus` state and public interests, and caused large-scale damage to BPC and Salihorsk-based potash giant Belaruskali, said Mr. Travulka.

"Based on the available evidence and other factual material, the Investigative Committee has given the status of the accused to these individuals," he said.

Judging by this remark, Mr. Baumgertner was charged immediately after his arrest. //BelaPAN