Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk’s statement concerning alleged Group DF’s intention to make Odessa Port Plant a bankrupt is false.
Supplying gas for a long time, including credit supplies, we enabled Odessa Port Plant to operate continuously. It allowed the plant to remain one of the key employers and taxpayers in Odesa Region.
We confirm that Odessa Port Plant’s debts only to OSTCHEM, Group DF’s fertilizer business, amount to USD 193.26 million (about UAH 4 billion at the current exchange rate).
We represent and warrant that despite Odessa Port Plant’s huge debts to the Group, we have never intended and have never taken any steps for making the plant a bankrupt taking into consideration difficult economic situation in the plant and crisis situation in Ukrainian economy.
Moreover, we consider Odessa Port Plant one of the key partners of the Group in fertilizer business. Group DF intends to take part in the plant’s privatisation in case an open, transparent and fair competition is conducted.
We regard slanderous statement by Mr Yatsenyuk as a part of continued politically motivated persecution of our business as well as an attempt to discredit the Group as one of the powerful participants in the announced privatisation of the Odessa Port Plant.