Russian Ambassador To Belarus: It Is Important To Move Away From External Managing Of Belgazprombank

Dmitry Mezentsev believes that the interests of clients and shareholders should be put first.

Russian Ambassador to Belarus Dmitry Mezentsev considers it important for the parties to find an acceptable solution regarding the running of Belgazprombank. He said that in an interview with TASS.

- It's important to move away from the running of the bank by the temporary administration as soon as possible. It is important for the parties to agree, taking into account the opinion of both shareholders and the Belarusian regulator, on the composition of the Belgazprombank board, - Mezentsev said.

The ambassador stressed that the interests of clients and shareholders should be put in the center of attention.

- It is important to confirm the format of foreign investment protection in the spirit and letter of the national law. We also understand that certain image losses of one of the banks from the premium segment of Belarus have become evident. It is important to show publicly the steps and measures that will restore the bank's reputation as soon as possible, not to allow these image losses to increase, - Mezentsev added.

The main shares in the authorized capital of Belgazprombank belong to the Russian energy company Gazprom and the Russian Gazprombank - 49.818% each.

The Belgazprombank case

We remind that on June 11, Belarusian law enforcers detained a group of former and current top managers of Belgazprombank, managed by Viktar Babariko for 20 years, until in May he announced his presidential ambitions. Soon after, the National Bank established a temporary administration to manage Gazprom's "daughter" in Belarus. The temporary administration, headed by Nadzeya Ermakova, had already contacted the main Russian shareholders of Belgazprombank, but they "refused to discuss the issues of joint activities."

Viktar Babaryka, the main rival of dictator Lukashenka in the elections, was detained in the morning of June 18, when, together with his son Eduard Babaryka, he was on his way to the CEC to hand over the collected signatures. About half a million Belarusians have signed for nominating Viktar Babaryka as a presidential candidate.

Independent experts and human rights activists are convinced that the criminal prosecution of Viktar Babaryka is only political lynching.