19 May 2004 16:10
Russian oil companyYukos issues strong denial on tax evasion charges
Moscow, 19 May: Russia's largest oil company, Yukos, denies allegations that its subsidiary, Samaraneftegaz, and
Samaraneftegaz's managers had evaded paying taxes, the company's press secretary, Aleksandr Shadrin, told
reporters on Wednesday [19 May].
The Samara Region prosecutor's office has been investigating the case of Samaraneftegaz since March and has
accused it of failing to pay R3bn in taxes in 1996-2000.
"We would like to say again that Samaraneftegaz and Yukos have paid all taxes on purchase and sale
contracts," Shadrin said, adding that no inconsistencies had been found earlier during regular tax
authorities' monitoring.
Shadrin said that in 1999 the regional prosecutor's office had already declared a sale contract between Yukos
and Samaraneftegaz illegal, but arbitration courts, including the court of appeal, refused to uphold the claim.
Earlier on Wednesday Shadrin told Prime-TASS that Russia's Interior Ministry agents were searching the Moscow
headquarters of Yukos and seizing documents in the investigation of a tax evasion case against Samaraneftegaz.
The officers of the Interior Ministry's department on tax crimes were searching Yukos together with the
representatives of the Samara regional police.
[Prime-TASS news agency] |
RUSSIA IN FACTS
