The Spanish company that took over the Mere store chain in Lithuania is owned by the same three Russian citizens who were previously associated with the banned retail chain in Poland.
According to the Spanish company register, 79% of Vigalight, registered in Barcelona last year, is owned by Sergei Shnaider, 15% by Andrej Veikulainen and 6% by Valerij Jakovlev. The Lithuanian editorial office of the Delfi portal reported on the change in the company’s shareholders in October. Until the 19th of September, Mere’s previous parent company was owned by five Russian citizens – Ana Shnaider, Rustam Kilizhekov, and the aforementioned Shnaider, Veikulainen and Jakovlev.
Shnaider and his brother run the Svetofor store chain in Russia,
which combines about two thousand retail outlets.
Lithuania’s Ministry of Economy has said it is considering following Poland’s example, where companies owned by Russian citizens have been sanctioned. Economy Minister Edvinas Grikšas told LRT that he found it strange that companies like Mere were still operating in Lithuania. He added that companies owned by Russian citizens or those that directly or indirectly support Russia’s aggression in Ukraine should not be allowed to continue operating.
Poland put the Mere retail chain on its sanctions list in May, and Latvia has also hinted that it could follow suit.
Read the full article in English here: https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2749364/despite-change-of-ownership-mere-retail-chain-remains-in-russian-hands
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