#9
Russia's gas behemoth smells a rat over tax-evasion
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Interfax
Moscow, 18 March: Gazprom Deputy CEO Vitaliy Savelyev said players on the Russian stock market should behave in a civilized way.
Speaking to RTR [Russian state] television on Sunday [17 March], Savelyev said he is sure the sharp fluctuations in prices for Gazprom shares last week, which came after the press reported that tax agencies suspected Gazprom of tax evasion, were a planned action.
Before negative reports about Gazprom were released, a Gazprom share cost almost R23 on the market. After these reports came out last Tuesday [12 March], the price dropped to R21. In the meantime, someone immediately started buying the cheaper shares, Savelyev noted. "And this was not an accident, because the next day, the shares again cost R23 roubles," he said.
"I am sure this was a well-targeted action" and "there are going to be a lot of such gamblers", Savelyev said. "However, I would like them to follow a civilized path, because Gazprom is also able to retaliate," he warned.
Savelyev said he has made efforts to find the reasons for these events. In particular, he phoned Viktor Vasilyev, head of the Moscow office of the Russian Federal Tax Police, as it was after his news conference that the press started reporting that the Tax Police suspected Gazprom of tax evasion.
Vasilyev "assured me he did not make public any facts, not to mention figures [concerning Gazprom] at the press conference" Savelyev said.
He also categorically denied press reports about possible resignations among Gazprom managers. "I would say they should not waste time waiting for this," he said.
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