The expert sees official negligence in the fact that ARMA has only now remembered the interests of Oschadbank in the competition for the manager of Gulliver
Kyiv • UNN
The ARMA held a meeting with a representative of Oschadbank regarding the management of the Gulliver shopping center a week before the end of the tender. The security expert called such actions negligence and called for the tender to be canceled.
The fact that employees of the Asset Recovery and Management Agency finally decided to discuss with a representative of Oschadbank the issue of ensuring the interests of the state-owned bank a week before the end of the tender for the selection of a manager for the Gulliver shopping center indicates their bias and possible official negligence. This opinion was expressed in an exclusive commentary to UNN by security expert Serhiy Shabovta.
Details
On November 13, representatives of the ARMA decided to meet with Arsen Miliutin, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Oschadbank in charge of NPLs, to discuss the management of the seized asset, which affects the interests of the state-owned bank in terms of loan repayment. However, the meeting failed to reach a consensus and the parties agreed to "continue cooperation".
Shabovta believes that this meeting is the result of pressure from the media and society.
"The fact that ARMA has finally decided to talk to Oschadbank a week before the end of the tender indicates one thing - bias, definitely official negligence and possibly even intentional actions - here is a question for law enforcement, they should investigate this and put an end to it," he said.
In his opinion, such actions are yet another proof that the agency "has turned into a thief-robber who steals public funds in broad daylight.
The expert emphasized that the only correct option now would be to cancel the tender, reach an agreement with Oschadbank, and only then announce a new tender.
"This is required by the procedure, the law and the society, which sees all this, and it needs to hear answers to questions. A new tender and all claims are off the table. Keep working," he summarized.
Context
On October 30, ARMA announced a competition to select a manager for the Gulliver shopping center. The head of the agency, Olena Duma, proudly stated that she had taken the strictest possible approach to the selection of a manager for this high-profile asset and even set the maximum possible 4 criteria for candidates. The conditions to be met by the bidders include property worth at least UAH 100 million, a professional team, proven experience in managing similar facilities, and proven financial solvency.
The building of the Gulliver shopping center is pledged as collateral for a mortgage loan from state-owned banks, including Oschadbank. However, among the criteria that ARMA set out, there is no mention of the need to repay the loan.
Oshchadbank has repeatedly stated that the decision to transfer Gulliver to ARMA harms the interests of the state-owned bank, as it will deprive it of loan payments from the company that owns the capital's complex. Oschadbank's losses due to the termination of loan payments could reach more than UAH 20 billion.
After the announcement of the tender, Arsen Miliutin, deputy chairman of the board of Oschadbank in charge of NPLs, said in a commentary to UNN that the state-owned bank plans to recover the building of the capital's Gulliver shopping center in its favor if ARMA transfers it to management. He expressed indignation that instead of paying the loan to state banks, Gulliver's earnings would be given to an "incomprehensible manager".
