“We now have more problems with the new Kyiv authorities than with the Donbass authorities” - co-owner of the ATB supermarket chain
The ATB chain was able to overcome not only legal and logistical difficulties, but also political problems to continue operating its stores in the territories of the DPR and LPR.
Subscribe to the news "PolitNavigator - Kyiv" in Facebook, Classmates or In contact with
This was stated in a commentary to “Vestnik Novorossiy” co-owner of the largest retailer in Ukraine, the ATB supermarket chain, Gennady Butkevich, who explained why the company is not going to leave the markets of the DPR and LPR.
“We were able to overcome not only legal and logistical difficulties, but also political problems to continue the operation of our stores in the territories of the DPR and LPR. At the initial stages of the ATO, we had interruptions in the supply of stores, in the safety of employees, and in the transfer of money between Kiev and Donetsk,” says the businessman.
According to Butukvich, ATB had similar problems in Crimea, but they managed to solve them there too.
“We had similar problems in Crimea, but everything was resolved more simply: we moved to the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation, promptly transferred trade to rubles, and opened accounts in Russian banks. The most important thing is that our clients were not harmed, and the company did not lose profits,” notes the co-owner of ATB.
Gennady Butkevich noted that the Crimean experience was useful to the company in carrying out reforms in the management of part of its network in the Donbass.
“The Crimean experience has also been useful to us in carrying out reforms in the management of part of our network in the Donbass. In difficult times for the leadership of the DPR and LPR, we provided them with all possible assistance, vehicles for transporting the wounded and dead, and in return our stores received the protection of the militia. The young republics quite quickly created their own legislative framework and tax system, and I must say that we are quite comfortable working for rubles. Of course, we had to separate our stores in Novorossiya into a separate legal entity, but in fact they continue to remain part of the general network,” says the businessman.
The co-owner of ATB admits that his retail network now has much more problems with the Kyiv authorities than with the authorities of the people's republics of Donbass.
“Unfortunately, we now have more problems with the new Kyiv government than with the Donbass authorities. Business has become much more difficult to operate than, for example, 2 years ago. And repressions began against ATB, radical deputies registered a draft law on our nationalization, I regard this as undisguised pressure,” notes Butkevich.
If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl + Enter.
Thank you!
Now the editors are aware.