Nowadays the bill on the emergence of “investment nannies” is being discussed at the highest levels, the state care for the investor is guaranteed. In previous years together with the business environment two laws were developed and adopted, so-called “Stop Masks-Show”, which aim to protect domestic and foreign investors in Ukraine from illegal interference of law enforcement agencies in business activities.
Instead for the third time there is an obstruction of lawful activities by third parties of a member of our Union, a limited liability company LLC FIE “ECONIA”, a well-known national producer of drinking water and baby food (TM “Malyatko”, TM “Jodo”, “Chistiy Kluch”).
On July 9, 2020 searches, with so-called “masks-show”, were conducted at the production, in the office of the company “ECONIA”, as well as at the place of residence and in the cars of the founder of the company and her family.
The search warrants state that in 2012 fraudulent actions were allegedly committed aimed at illegally declaring bankruptcy the communal-household enterprise “Zolotoniska Mebleva Fabryka”, purchase and sale of the factory’s property complex by the founder of the “ECONIA” enterprise, Varahash I.Yu. The absurdity of the criminal proceedings is evidenced by the fact that the contract of sale of this property complex was concluded between the communal-household enterprise “Zolotonosha Furniture Factory” and LLC FIE “Econia” (which at that time was called “Malyatko”) on February 12, 2008. That is, four years before the date when there ostensibly were “fraudulent actions aimed at buying and selling the property complex.”
We are forced to pay special attention to the fact that since 2008 there have already been two attempts at raider capture at the company and perhaps right now the company is dealing with a third one. The same persons are involved in all three proceedings but the perpetrators have not yet been held accountable!
“ECONIA” is an enterprise of the real sector of the economy which has created 200 jobs and is the main employer in Zolotonosha, and in 2019 alone paid more than UAH 13 million in taxes. Application of such extreme methods as search to this enterprise is excessive.
Today we have a situation in which any investor in Ukraine can not feel safe and calmly carry out activities, create new workplaces, increase capacity. Now we see that the old, well-known methods of “masks-show” with searches and destruction of private property in enterprises are returning. The anxiety of such a signal for real and potential investors is reinforced by the fact that today Ukraine, like the rest of the world, is experiencing an economic crisis. And while other countries are investing billions to support their economies, fighting to save jobs, Ukraine has a real chance to make a serious “rollback” in economic development due to lack of conditions for investors and the creation of artificial barriers to its full activity.
We strongly condemn any attempt to block the work and development of successful Ukrainian companies. Such actions have negative consequences not only for the company, but also for the image of Ukraine as a whole. Ignoring the law is unacceptable.
In an official appeal to the President of Ukraine, the Prime Minister of Ukraine, the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, the Minister of Internal Affairs and the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the National Reform Council the Union called for an impartial consideration of the circumstances surrounding the search of the SUP member company, and conducting an objective investigation in the relevant criminal proceedings. In case of detection of illegal actions we demand punishment of the guilty.
We declare that the Union of Ukrainian Entrepreneurs is ready to participate in the protection of the rights and interests of LLC FIE “Econia” from illegal pressure and as an independent observer will inform the civil society about the further development of the situation.
