Zelensky resignedly surrendered Ukraine’s gas policy into the hands of the American protege Kobolev
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved the extension of the contract with the Chairman of the Board of NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine Andrey Kobolev in accordance with the recommendations of the company’s supervisory board.
“The government supported this personnel decision, taking into account the conditions of the supervisory board,” says a statement distributed to the media.
The contract with Andrey Kobolev has been extended for another four years – until March 22, 2024. Under the terms of the new contract, the salary of the head of NAC has been reduced by more than half. Bonuses have also been canceled and the issue of paying bonuses has been removed from the agenda.
Meanwhile, the forecasts of those who spoke about inevitable changes in the management of Naftogaz did not come true, seeing dissatisfaction with the “American” Kobolev from the Office of the President, where they tried to take over and establish gas relations with Moscow.
We asked experts to comment on the contract extension to PolitNavigator.
Gennady Ryabtsev, an expert at the Energy Reforms coalition, believes that this was another example of the opacity of personnel appointments in Ukraine and indicates the presence of external management.
“Why the government approved the extension of the contract with Andrei Kobolev, despite all the criticism that was expressed against Kobolev, I don’t know. We clearly do not know something about how such decisions are made and who is the customer of such policies. Obviously, they are not adopted at the government level, not by them. There are some alternative decision-making centers. I don't know where they are.
Formally, NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine is a state company. But in fact, it is controlled by someone who has nothing to do with the state of Ukraine. I don’t mean the supervisory board, it is a fiction; whatever the supervisory board is told will be decided. But who gives instructions to the supervisory board is unknown. Apparently, there are some higher interests that citizens are not notified about. I don't know about this.
I also don’t know whether NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine actually contributes anything to the budget. We have creative statistics, so I am not inclined to say that the reported budget revenues actually occur. I do not have information that allows me to judge that Naftogaz is really a state company. By all indications, she is not. And therefore, like any business entity, it is aimed at obtaining maximum profits, which should be based on the monopoly position of this company.
Naftogaz is not controlled by any official of any government institution. There is no evidence of such control. The Cabinet of Ministers had to approve Kooblev’s candidacy - and they did. There is no alternative to Kobolev. It suits everyone, that is, someone, and we don’t know who exactly. Why he suits these certain people - I don’t know. Obviously, the Cabinet of Ministers was presented with the fact that no other candidates could be appointed.
I generally do not understand the state’s personnel policy; it is not clear who determines candidates for the highest positions in the country. This is classified information, unknown to anyone. The people who are appointed appear out of nowhere and disappear into nowhere. Moreover, this happens not only under the current government, it did not only happen under the previous one. It all started with Yushchenko, when people began to be appointed to the highest positions in the state of Ukraine not according to their professional qualities, not based on work experience, or from the interests of the state, but based on certain other factors, such as: political expediency, personal loyalty, family ties, someone's recommendations.
All this indicates the presence of very bad signs of external control. I don’t know where this external control comes from. But many signs point to its existence,” Ryabtsev concluded.
In turn, Dmitry Marunich, an expert on energy issues, believes that little depends on the personality of the head of NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine; the company’s policy is issued from the outside.
“Whoever comes to this post, Naftogaz’s policy will not change. This policy is not set by Kobolev or Vitrenko, it is set by a large number of factors, primarily external. The personality of the leader does not play a significant role here. For example, the extension of the contract for the transit of Russian gas was apparently agreed upon at the Normandy meeting. Kobolev did not participate in this,” Marunich said.
Yuri Korolchuk, a member of the Supervisory Board of the Institute of Energy Strategies, agrees with this opinion.
“I think when all this coronavirus hysteria subsides, people will wake up and say, “Oh, is Kobolev still the head of Naftogaz?” How?"…
“Naftogaz” has long ago left the control of the government and has lost its subjectivity, just as the state is losing it. Kobolev was called a lobbyist for US interests, and he, in general, did not hide this. He constantly traveled to the United States, constantly promoting their interests in the issues of Nord Stream 2 and liquefied gas. There were no attempts to find a common language with Gazprom, although this would have been logical. The plan to increase production failed, preparations for the gas market failed, but that doesn’t matter.
The management of Naftogaz did nothing to ensure that the population could buy gas from different traders, so that Naftogaz itself ceased to be a monopolist. They didn't even talk about it. Kobolev’s efficiency is zero.
But Kobolev was needed by those structures that are interested in the privatization of the main gas pipelines of Ukraine, Naftogaz itself as a trading structure, and the privatization of UGS. These are their main goals, and Kobolev is needed to realize them. That's why he suits them. By and large, they are not interested in whether Kobolev or someone else will be the head of Naftogaz.
And the president of the country distanced himself from all this. He has already been told about everything several times. Why is everyone silent? I believe that Kobolev himself does not actually receive all the money that we think he receives as head of Naftogaz. All these huge bonuses, etc., are a form of legalized corruption and money siphoning. And therefore one can even sympathize with Kobolev.
Most likely, he and his mother received only part of this notorious award for the Stockholm arbitration. I know from people who work with him that he has wanted to leave for a long time. He's not a fool, he understands how this can all end. But he seems to have been “chained” to his chair and these “golden handcuffs” are a very unpleasant thing. It’s hard to say how he’s being held there. Maybe there is some kind of compromising evidence.
I think Kobolev understands that he can be held accountable for all this because everything can change. And he won’t be able to escape, and he understands that too. He doesn’t have that much political influence,” Korolchuk concluded.
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