Lukashenka Appoints New Spartak and Kamunarka Chiefs amid Ownership Dispute
15.10.2012 / 15:32
The government has appointed new chief executive officers of leading candy makers Spartak and Kamunarka that are at the center of an ownership dispute.
Aliaksandr Lukashenka ordered on October 12 the supervisory boards liquidated at the privately owned companies and their directors fired. He also suggested that Ivan Danchanka leave the job of chairman of the Belarusian State Food Industry Concern (Beldziarzhkharchpram) and take over the position of director general at Kamunarka.
The press office of Beldziarzhkharchpram confirmed that Mr. Danchanka had been appointed to manage Kamunarka. Alieh Zhydkou, head of the Homiel City Executive Committee's property management department, has been named as director general of Spartak, according to the press office.
Both Minsk-based Kamunarka and Homiel-based Spartak are controlled by Marat Novikov, the Belarusian-born US businessman who increased his stake in the stock companies by buying shares from their current and former employees.
Earlier this year, the government described their privatization as flawed and took steps to regain control of the companies.
Referring to an unspecified court ruling, Lukashenka said on Friday that the government would hold a 57-percent stake in Kamunarka and a 60-percent stake in Spartak.
“The people must know that the president does not and will not give anything belonging to the people to anyone,” Mr. Lukashenka said.
“You know that no one will even set foot in Kamunarka and Spartak and other enterprises without me. You know my attitude toward privatization."