Uralkali prepared to turn to court over conflict with Belarus

The Uralkali company, one of the major producers of potash fertilizer, is ready to uphold its interests strictly in accordance with legislation, also in court, says the statement Uralkali made public. “The actions of the Belarusian side mean an attempt to use state policy and the law enforcement system to do damage to the Uralkali joint stock company, the main rival of the state-owned Belaruskali company,” the statement says. “The company will not allow unfair statements of the Belarusian side to discredit the Uralkali joint stock company, to denigrate the company’s business reputation, honour and dignity of its chiefs, staff and shareholders, to mislead the Belarusian and international communities and to bring pressure on customers on the markets,” the statement says. The company sees the need to reject again all the accusations the Belarusian side made in connection with criminal proceedings against Uralkali staffers. Uralkali turned to competent bodies of the Russian Federation to request assistance in stopping persecution of the company’s staffers without delay. Uralkali chiefs hold that a massive information campaign is on in and outside Belarus and attempts are made to complicate the work of the company and its staffers in international markets. The company’s Board of Directors and managerial staff highly appreciate partners’ confidence in the markets and restraint and professionalism of Uralkali staffers. The company continues implementing the strategy it announced and believes that any controversial situations should be settled in the field of law, without crude pressure and politization of the conflict, the statement says. After Uralkali announced in late July its withdrawal from the Belarusian Potash Company (BKK), the joint venture with the Belarusian potash fertilizer producer Belaruskali, Vladislav Baumgertner, Uralkali CEO, was detained after the talks with Belarusian Premier Mikhail Myasnikovich in Minsk on August 26, and was then taken in custody in the framework of the investigation of criminal proceedings instituted by the Belarusian Prosecutor-General’s Office. It was announced on September 2 that the Belarusian Investigative Committee charges senator Suleiman Kerimov, Uralkali shareholder, in connection with the criminal case against officials of the BKK. The Investigative Committee stressed that Kerimov’s actions were assessed as abuse of powers and office position and might carry at the most the punishment by the deprivation of freedom for up to ten years with the confiscation of property.