TV3 programme Nekā personīga decided to look into “political and moral complications” caused by the presence of Russian Gazprom among the shareholders Latvijas gāze (LG). According to LG manager Aigars Kalvītis, Gazprom is eligible to receive some of the money from the sale of Latvia’s strategic natural gas operator Gaso.
In June 2022 LG shareholders wanted to divide up Gaso shares among themselves. However, this was prevented by the adoption of a certain law. Kalvītis reminds that Gazprom has received dividends from membership in LG. Sanctions do not prevent it from happening this year either. He also said Klaipeda gas terminal refused to sign a contract with LG due to Gazprom’s involvement in the company.
LG announced late in the evening on the 14th of April that it found a buyer fir the company’s 100% of shares in Gaso. This buyer is Estonian Eesti Gaas. According to Nekā personīga, Gazprom, as a shareholder in LG, is eligible to receive part of the money to be received from this deal. Sanctions do not prohibit this from happening.
Like every year, Gazprom still received dividends from LG.
Gaso is a company that is highly important for Latvia’s national security, because it is the only one that provides distribution of natural gas in Latvia. The company was founded in 2017, when LG was divided to prevent the lasting monopoly of this company. The division resulted in Conexus, which manages Latvia’s gas pipeline system and Inčukalns underground gas storage facility, and Gaso.
Until now Gaso was 100% owned by LG, which is 34% owned by Russian Gazprom, 16% controlled by Juris Savickis’ Itera Latvija, 28.97% controlled by Marguerite Gas II.S.a.r.l. and 18.26% owned by Uniper Ruhrgas International GmbH.
34% of shares of Itera Latvija are owned by Inter Energia Holdings ApS [owner is Juris Savickis] and 66% of shares are owned by Davonte Holding Limited.
The latter is indirectly owned by Rosneft. Its executive director Igor Sechin is under international sanctions as [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s close associate.
According to the findings of Aleksei Navalny’s team, Rosneft under Sechin was allegedly involved in the financing of the wine garden in “Putin’s palace complex”. Rosneft Aero, on the other hand, supplies aircraft fuel to Simferopol airport, which provides air traffic between occupied Crimea and mainland Russia.
Last summer Latvia’s Saeima amended the National Security Law. These amendments prohibit Russian and Belarusian companies from acquiring companies important to Latvia’s national security.
Ex-Saeima deputy Vjačeslavs Dombrovskis: “I cannot understand why the Ministry of Economics left LG in its form unchanged. The German government, on the other hand, assumed control over the German branch of Gazprom almost immediately after the start of the war.”
Nekā personīga asks, Constitution Protection Bureau director Egils Zviedris answers:
“What is the opinion of the head of SAB about having such high-ranking Russian citizens being in the council of such a strategically important Latvian company?”
-Here we should clarify that LG is one of several energy resource traders and is not a strategic company. Gaso would be a strategically important company, which is the operator of the distribution network. It is also a subsidiary of LG’s.
“But the fact that representatives of such an influential Russian company are members of Latvijas Gāze’s council, what does it mean?”
-I say again – LG is a private company. There aren’t just Russian companies on the council there. There are also the German Marguerite and German Uniper gas there. This means it is the decision of shareholders who is and who isn’t on the council. But as I’ve already said – the rights of these people in making decisions are very limited.
The moment Gaso’s sale process concluded, LG became free of the National Security Law’s restrictions in regards to participation from Russian and Belarusian citizens.
Gazprom representatives can once again participate in shareholder meetings and decide on selling gas in Latvia.
As LG reported last Friday, the company will receive EUR 120 million plus interest for Gaso until the deal is done. The sale is planned to conclude by the end of the year. Ministry of Economics, which is responsible for the gas sector, believes LG shareholder should not receive any money for this deal.
The programme asks, Minister of Economics Ilze Indriksone (National Alliance) answers:
“How can we be sure the holder of 34% of shares in this company – Gazprom – does not receive any money from this deal?”
-This is definitely everyone’s responsibility – both the employees’ and managers’ responsibility – to make sure this funding or income received as a result of the sale does not end up in the hands of sanctioned persons. We also have legislation everyone must follow, regardless of country of origin or beliefs. The law is equal to everyone.
Indriksone continues: “There is definitely some work for institutions supervising the financial sector. We have to limit the way in which it is allowed to perform transactions. Everything will be followed carefully. I believe supervision should be as strict as responsibility.”
LG board chairman Aigars Kalvītis told Nekā personīga that there aren’t any restrictions that can prohibit Gazprom receive money from Gaso’s sale, as the company is a shareholder. There is no clarity about Itera Latvija as the moment.
The programme asks, Aigars Kalvītis answers:
Can the sanctions currently in place prevent the payment of money to the shareholder called Gazprom?
-Currently Gazprom is not under sanctions, so they are not under restrictions here. We do not have any information about it being otherwise.
This means that if shareholders decide the profits from Gaso’s sale should be paid to shareholders…
-Let’s not use the word “profits”. There is no profit from selling a company. An asset is being exchanged for money. Payment of the money – the current sanction regime does not prohibit it from being paid to Gazprom. The same for dividends.
So Gazprom has already received dividends for last year and will receive for this year as well.
-Shareholders have yet to decide on 2022. Decisions will likely come around May or June. As for 2021, Gazprom has received its dividends, yes.
Will Itera have the same opportunity to receive the money?
-Well, these questions should be asked to supervisory institutions.
Well, we just want to be on the ball if there is such an opportunity.
-I cannot answer this question at this time, because
this topic is regulated by the Bank of Latvia and former Capital Market and Capital Market Commission.
We are in close contact with them. They look into these deals and permit them.
Gazprom’s dividends are paid to Gazprom’s bank account, or do they have something else?
-I cannot answer the question which account receives the money. I believe Gazprom has a securities account in one of Latvia’s banks.
Kalvītis explains further:
“At some point our shareholders wanted to reorganise Gaso, but then the Saeima adopted amendments to the National Security Law. This meant reorganisation was no longer possible. The reason is because Russian shareholders were no longer allowed to be shareholders in Gaso.”
Then the plans to divide Gaso was present after the start of the war?
”Yes,” Kalvītis said.
And what was the argument in favour of it?
“Simply put, Gaso would have been reorganised the same way LG had previously reorganised Conexus. Every shareholder was able to sell their shares. Then Gazprom would enter the strategic company. Directly.”
He reluctantly confirmed that Lithuanian liquefied natural gas terminal in Klaipeda refused to sign a contract with LG. The reason – the presence of Kremlin-controlled company.
Do we have the option to procure gas from Klaipeda?
“Of course – we have the option to purchase gas from the secondary market; we just lack a direct contract with Klaipeda. We do have a direct contract with Inkoo [LNG terminal in Finland]. We can procure gas from Inkoo and we can procure gas that is sold in Klaipeda’s secondary market.”
There is no contract because they refused to sign one?
“Yes,” the chairman of LG confirmed.
Why?
“It is difficult for me to say. Looking at our shareholders and the situation, they refused to sign. We have to keep in mind that there is a great deal of competition. There are many interested parties.”
But did you consult with shareholders? Perhaps you have some information as to what will happen once Gaso is sold? Is Gazprom still interested in staying here and doing business with LG. Perhaps they are thinking about other models, such as selling shares?
“I believe the first step is resolving this Gaso problem. Once it is done, every shareholder will have an idea of what to do, because LG will become a commercial company. But not every shareholder has strategic interests in being in a commercial company. We can expect certain changes in the future. But it is hard to say how long they might last.”
Also read: Latvenergo considers acquiring Gaso