Kyiv`s Economic Court of Appeal has annulled a joint operation agreement signed in November 2007 between Ukraine`s largest gas company Ukrgazvydobuvannya and Nadra Geocenter LLC, which is under the control of Ukrainian MP Oleksandr Onyshchenko, who has fled the country.
The decision dated August 9, 2016, has been published in the public rulings register.
Prosecutors provided data confirming that Nadra Geocenter was selling natural gas at a price below the market rate, the report said.
In particular, from January 2014 to June 2015, the company sold 426.1 million cubic meters of gas worth UAH 1.917 billion (at prices specified in tender certificates and tax bills), whereas the market price of gas amounted to UAH 3.084 billion (according to estimates of experts). As a result, Nadra Geocenter fell short by UAH 1.166 billion, according to the findings of the Prosecutor General`s Office of Ukraine.
Ukrgazvydobuvannya initiated a lawsuit on termination of the joint operation agreement based on the fact that Nadra Geocenter had failed to fulfill its investment obligations regarding the installation of gas metering units, as well as due to the late settlements of tax liabilities, the report stated.
According to the joint activity agreement, Ukrgazvydobuvannya has contributed 37 wells estimated at UAH 107 million and Nadra Geocenter has contributed property and funds to the tune of UAH 209.6 million.
As UNIAN reported earlier, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor`s Office announced in June 2016 that they had exposed a criminal gang which had duped the state of over UAH 3 billion. The criminals concluded bogus deals with gas producer PJSC Ukrgazvydobuvannia. The scam was allegedly initiated by MP Oleksandr Onyshchenko, according to the NABU.
On July 5, Ukraine`s Verkhovna Rada gave the nod for Onyshchenko`s arrest, but he had already fled the country using his parliamentary immunity. He is currently staying in London.
Ukrainian Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko has signed a document to serve Onyshchenko with charges and the NABU has already summoned him twice, but he has failed to appear.
On August 5, NABU agents said they were preparing documents to forcedly bring Onyshchenko to court and after a court ruling he could be put on Ukrainian and international wanted lists.
