Naftogaz blackmails Ukraine with gas crisis
The top management of NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine demands an increase in remuneration several times, and at the same time declares the inevitability of a crisis after the end of the transit agreement with Gazprom.
Former Ukrainian Housing and Utilities Minister Oleksiy Kucherenko announced this at a press conference in Kyiv, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
“Three days ago, the head of the board of NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine Kobolev conducted so-called maneuvers. Their main essence is to announce to the public, to Ukrainians, that they should prepare for an absolutely probable (according to his assessment) scenario - in January Ukraine will be without gas transit, in conditions of XNUMX% so-called reverse. But if there is no appropriate pressure in the pipe, this reverse is impossible. I think that society is simply being blackmailed - get ready, give money, because we do not have a transit contract,” Kucherenko said.
This happened twice in the history of Ukraine. Last year in March there was a “tighten up” operation, but fortunately it was the end of the heating season. The first time was in 2009, when we organized a real reverse and it worked for 2-3 weeks while very difficult negotiations were going on.
Just an hour ago, information appeared that Kobolev sent to the Cabinet of Ministers a decision of the regional administrative court of Kyiv, which determined that the Cabinet of Ministers does not have the right to dismiss Kobolev. That is, he has already entered into an open conflict.
He also drew attention to the financial plan of NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine, which was submitted to the government and which indicated that the increase in the content of the company’s top management increases by 40% - to the amount of 820 million hryvnia for 14 people.
“That is, the average income of one top manager is $2,2 million per year. Over the past 4 years, the amount of remuneration for the top management of NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine has increased 128 times. This plan provides 2,6 billion hryvnia, 100 million dollars, for the maintenance of the central office of NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine. This is 1,5 times more than it was. This is for the maintenance of the intermediary structure. For legal services – 1,150 billion hryvnia, three times more than last year. For external advisers - 500 million hryvnia, 20 times more than last year.
At the same time, a radical decrease in profits is envisaged, making Ukrtransgaz unprofitable, which brings in $3 billion in profit for transit. This is already open blackmail on the part of this monopoly and those political forces that de facto control it,” summed up the former Minister of Housing and Communal Services.
Naftogaz blackmails Ukraine with gas crisis