Two meaningless million

Ulyukaev could not influence the transaction on the acquisition of Bashneft after the president made the decision

On the night of November 15, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation opened a criminal case against the Minister of Economic Development Alexei Ulyukaev. The reason is to receive a bribe in the amount of two million dollars with a cache for a “positive assessment that allowed Rosneft to buy a control package of Bashneft. The bribe itself was received, as claimed, on the evening of November 14, and for the interrogation of Ulyukaev, they took away a few hours later: in order to interrogate the current minister, Zaranka, as in the good old 30s-without recovering and without any lawyers.

The accusation brought by Ulyukaev looks fantastic. After all, the question of the privatization of Bashneft was the cause of the main economic war committed in the Kremlin under the carpet over the past few months, and the president personally was the main referee.

This war began with the house arrest of the head of the AFC Sistema, Vladimir Yevtushenkov, who then owed the Bashneft's control package. Rosneft in every possible way denied its involvement in what was happening, but everything became obvious when Yevtushenkov did not dispute the return of the package to the state and was released.

There were also rumors that Yevtushenkov was not the only owner of Bashneft. The fact is that AFK Sistema has gained control of Bashneft in 2009, next year after Dmitry Medvedev became the president of the Russian Federation.

In the business environment, there were stubborn rumors that Medvedev patronized Yevtushenkov and that the reason for the house arrest Yevtushenkov in 2014, among other things, was due to the fact that he belonged to that faction at the tops that would be interested in continuing Medvedev’s presidency.

It’s so or not so, it’s difficult to say: but, in any case, Rosneft also claimed “Bashneft” in 2009, and rumors about Yevtushenkov’s change in behavior were unlikely to prevent the cancellation of privatization.

After the cancellation of privatization, the real control of Bashneft was carried out by the de facto was carried out by Lukoil. It was expected that he would, perhaps, would buy it, because the sale of one state -owned company another state -owned company aroused questions from many, even in power. Among the opponents of such a sale was both the Minister of Economic Development Alexei Ulyukaev, as well as Arkady Dvorkovich and many others.

However, the final decision was made in favor of Igor Sechin. The official reason for this decision was the price: Rosneft was ready to pay a record 329 billion rubles for Bashneft, although until recently it was Rosneft who asked for 1.5 trillion rubles. From the Fund of National Welfare.

The deal was carried out with space speed: Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed it on October 10, and two days later everything was paid.

Now, of course, the question is: what does Alexei Ulyukaev have to do with it? Imagine for simplicity that everyone that is accused of is true. That he really took 2 million cache from Rosneft on the night of November 15. For what and how? Yes, Ulyukaev was against the purchase of one state -owned company by another state -owned company. But after Putin made a decision, Ulyukaev’s personal opinion did not mean anything. Again - the deal was closed, the money was transferred, the “Bashneft” was bought. 2 million cache did not affect this in any way.

Ulyukaev extorted money? After the closing of the transaction and the good word of the president? It's funny. Ulyukaev, extorting money from Sechin, is like a sparrow extorting by a lion.

The administrative weight of both players is simply incomparable.

Did you offer Ulyukaev money? But then you must admit, it’s somehow not good: offer money and use it in order to put the enemy. We will not forget that the “development” of the minister was carried out with the knowledge of the President of the Russian Federation. Who then prevented the President of the Russian Federation from simply dismissing Ulyukaev? What kind of wiring at the very top, when a person who caused displeasure of the Bashneft position is rolled out in connection with this deal in a cake, and they are not fired, namely, they are caught on a hook and rolled out in some kind of Berievsky style?

One way or another, but Rosneft has been an unconditional leader in the number of Mergers & Acquisitions in Russia in Russia. First TNK-BP, then Bashneft. And this last acquisition is accompanied by purely accidentally non -economic punishment, which fell upon those who tried to stand in the way of the righteous process of acquiring Bashneft.

If you extrapolate this trend in the future, then LUKOIL can become the next object of acquisition?