Ukrainian MP Nikolai Tishchenko, deputy chairman of the largest Ukrainian parliamentary faction «the Servant of the People», has appealed to EU officials with a demand to impose sanctions against the Russian oligarch Igor Makarov (pictured), the owner of the Areti International Group.
“Makarov has been a long-term participant in Ukrainian corruption gas schemes. His legendary Itera company (now renamed Areti) has been making money on gas intermediation between Turkmenistan, the Russian Federation and Ukraine for decades. Since the time of Bakai (first head of the Ukrainian gas monopoly Naftogaz), Makarov has been successfully corrupting the leaders of our Naftogaz. There is also a question for Vitrenko (current head of Naftogaz), who is preparing for a shameful dismissal.” – Tishchenko stated.
The UK has imposed 92 sanctions this week in response to the Russian regime’s holding of bogus referendums in 4 regions of Ukraine. Igor Makarov, president and owner of Areti International Group, a major investor in the oil and gas sector, and founder of Itera, the first independent gas company in Russia before it was bought by the state-owned Rosneft, is featured in the Justice Department press release. Makarov’s fortune is estimated at 1.6 billion pounds. Previously, sanctions against Makarov were introduced in the United States, Canada and Australia.
“I appeal to the officials of the European institutions, Makarov is one of the key sponsors of the Russian military aggression against Ukraine. The hydrocarbons extracted by his campaigns are used for energy blackmailing Europe. He pays billions to the Russian budget, which is used to finance Russian terrorism. Let’s stop this. We need European sanctions against Makarov. – wrote Nikolay Tishchenko.
A year ago in Austria, the Chancellor, the leader of the right-wing Freedom Party, Heinz-Christian Strache, was dismissed and put on trial, accused of corrupt ties with Igor Makarov. In the Austrian media, this scandal appeared as “Ibizagate”.
In 2013, Rosneft paid $2.9 billion for 49% of Itera, including $1.8 billion personally to Makarov. After the sale of Rosneft’s gas assets, Makarov gave his company a new name, reversing the word “Itera”, now it is called “Areti”. At the end of February 2022, Areti sold 10% of the Canadian gas producer Spartan Delta Corp. for $121.5 million. One of the goals of the deal is to reduce the political and economic influence of Spartan, of which Areti has 8.4% left.
Source : Eureporter