09 June 2004 18:39
Russian authorities prosecute official who disobeyed order to confiscate ship
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, 9 June: The prosecutor's office of Kamchatka Region has launched criminal proceedings
against the head of the Kamchatka branch of the Russian Ministry of Property Relations [this ministry was abolished in
Putin's decree of 9 March], Vladimir Balakayev. Balakayev is accused of "deliberate refusal to implement a
court ruling" on the sale of the refrigerated transport ship Lanzheron and the reversion of the proceeds to the
state. An inquiry into the case is under way. An ITAR-TASS correspondent was informed of this today by the regional
deputy prosecutor, Vladimir Chistov.
The Lanzheron was impounded for illegal pollack fishing in Russian waters in January-March 2003. It was part of an
entire flotilla of eight large freezer trawlers and two other refrigerated transport ships. Over 2,000 tonnes of
undeclared fish produce was found aboard the ship when it was detained. Investigators discovered that all the fish
caught by the flotilla was destined for ports in China. A forensic environmental assessment found that the loss
sustained by the state as a result of the illegal fishing exceeded 73m dollars.
A court ruled that the vessel should be confiscated in favour of the state. The prosecutor's office says
Vladimir Balakayev is refusing to accept the ship on behalf of the property fund. Because of this, the future of the
factory ship has still not been decided. It could be leased out or auctioned, with the proceeds going to the state.
[ITAR-TASS news agency] |
RUSSIA IN FACTS
