Director General "Uralkali" detained in Belarus

In Minsk, the general director of Uralkali, a member of the Supervisory Committee of the Belarusian Potassium Company Vladislav Baumertner, RIA Novosti was detained. He was charged under part 3 of Article 424 of the Criminal Code of the country (abuse of power and official powers).

The representative of the Investigative Committee of Belarus said that the basis for initiating cases was materials about abuse of authority for selfish purposes that caused significant harm to the state and public interests of Belarus, as well as damage to the Belaruskalii and the Belarusian potassium company.

"Baumertner was in Minsk at the invitation of Belarusian Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich to consider the issues related to the activities of the BKK. Similar invitations were also sent to the chairman of the Board of Directors of Uralkali Alexander Voloshin and shareholder Suleiman Kerimov, but they could not go in connection with their working graphics," said the head "Uralkali" Alexander Babinsky. At the same time, he added that the meeting with Myasnikovich took place on Monday, and at the departure of Baumertner was detained.

Meanwhile, the press secretary of the Investigative Committee of Belarus Pavel Trawko said in an interview with BelTA that Karimov was also conducting an audit for his involvement in abuse.

In turn, RIA Novosti reports, the Russian Embassy in Minsk sent a note to the Belarus Foreign Ministry to ensure a meeting of consular workers with Baumertner. As the official representative of the diplomatic mission Vladimir Marchukov assured, the businessman will provide all the necessary consular assistance.

Meanwhile, the First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Igor Shuvalov said that the Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev gave the departments a number of instructions in connection with the detention of Baumgartner. “What happened today does not fit into any framework, because ... the company manager was there at the invitation of Mr. Myasnikovich,” the Deputy Prime Minister remarked. “We believe that this is a rather strange situation, if we keep in mind the nature of our relationship.”

At the end of July, Uralkali stopped cooperation with Belaruskalius in terms of joint sales through the BKK and decided to change the strategy, focusing on increasing production volumes. In this regard, the market participants in the near future expect to reduce potash fertilizers below $ 300 from the current 400 dollars per ton, as well as the world growth of this type of fertilizer.

On August 5, Baumgertner, in an interview with Vedomosti, called the incident "recovery of the market." “I will not take the courage to declare that we did it from a great desire. We did it forced to do this - based on the situation that developed in Belarus. But since everything happened, we saw a huge number of advantages for which we are going to hold on with all our strength,” he said.

"There was no secret that we had certain problems with Belarusian partners. It was obvious in the potassium market in December last year, when the decree of Alexander Grigoryevich (Lukashenko, the President of Belarus was published. - Ed.) That" Belaruskali "can sell products not only through the BKC, but also through independent traders not affiliated with BCCs And not consistent of volumes or price parameters.

Uralkali is one of the leading global potassium producers with a share in world production about 20 percent. The company's production assets include five mines and seven enrichment factories located in the cities of Berezniki and Solikamsk in the Perm Territory. Mostly the production unit of the enterprise, almost 12 thousand employees work. The shares and global depository receipts of the company apply on the Moscow Exchange and the London Stock Exchange.