Andrey Kobolev (photo – Naftogaz press service)
Former Chairman of the Board NJSC “Naftogaz of Ukraine” Andrey Kobolev became a consultant to the Ministry of Energy of Moldova regarding the audit of the republic’s debts to the Russian Gazprom.
On October 6, at a meeting of the Supreme Anti-Corruption Court, which considered the continuation of the preventive measure against Kobolev, he said that he was an adviser to the President of Moldova May Sandu.
Meeting broadcast on the VAX YouTube channel. with
The case concerns the awarding of large bonuses to the management of Naftogaz for winning the Stockholm arbitration against Gazprom.
The investigating judge partially granted the request of the prosecutor of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office and extended by one month the duration of the duties previously assigned to Kobolev. The court canceled only one of the obligations – traveling outside the country without permission.
“These responsibilities are relatively detrimental to my ability to both work and perform tasks that are important to ensuring the energy security of Ukraine and some European countries. Because I am an adviser to the President of Moldova, I am helping this country complete the audit process of debts to Gazprom. I ask the court to reject the petition,” Kobolev said at the trial.
According to the HACS decision of September 25, until October 10, Kobolev is obliged to arrive at each request, not to leave Ukraine without permission, to report a change in place of residence, and to hand over his foreign passport.
In January, Kobolev received suspicion from NABU due to bonuses at Naftogaz for winning the Stockholm arbitration. The investigation believes that in May 2018, contrary to the requirements of the law, he issued an order on bonuses for company employees, on the basis of which he was paid an excessive bonus in the amount of almost 261 million UAH (equivalent to $10 million).
In March, the HACS Appeals Chamber applied a preventive measure against Kobolev in the form of bail in the amount of UAH 229.248 million.
Kobolev did not pay bail, but the preventive measure was not changed for him.
On September 25, VAKS reduced the amount of Kobolev’s bail from UAH 229 million to UAH 107 million and decided to remove the bracelet from him.
UPDATED October 10. Kobolev’s statement that he had become Sandu’s adviser was widely circulated in the Ukrainian media, and the next day the Administration of the President of Moldova had to specifythat in fact this is not entirely true.
The former head of the Ukrainian Naftogaz, on the recommendation of the European Commission, actually advised the Moldovan authorities and the Ministry of Energy on the audit of the debt of the Moldovagaz enterprise, writes the local publication NewsMaker. The presidential administration emphasized that this happened at the height of the energy crisis of 2021-2022, when Kobolev was not yet under investigation.
They also confirmed that now Kobolev advises the Ministry of Energy of Moldova on issues related to the audit of Moldovagaz. The administration noted that his experience is useful, since the company he heads, Naftogaz, was able to sue about $4.6 billion from Gazprom.
At the same time, in the administration denied Kobolev’s statement that he is an adviser to the President of Moldova May Sandu.
2023-10-10 10:45:57
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