22 June 2004 08:10
Russia dislikes the rich, claims tycoon : Vladimir Potanin talks to Christopher Hope in Moscow
ByLine: Christopher Hope
VLADIMIR POTANIN, one of Russia's five wealthiest men, yesterday complained that the country's oligarchs
were being picked on because they have too much money.
Mr Potanin, president of Interros Holdings, which accounts for 1.5pc of Russia's gross domestic product, also
ruled out reports that he was planning to buy a stake in Arsenal Football Club.
Speaking to journalists accompanying Prince Michael of Kent on a visit to Russia, Mr Potanin said politicians were
siding with people who were jealous that a few men have made billions of pounds from Russia's race to
capitalism.
He said: "It is very difficult for a reasonably successful person. People don't like rich businessmen.
People should have more respect for successful rich people and socially active people.
"Rich guys become richer and richer and everyone forgets that, if you create something, you create jobs and pay
more taxes.
"I must understand why people don't like me, because some people live in a difficult position. I cannot
blame them for this lack of love for me. Students want to be like me. They are ready to listen to my pieces of
advice."
Mr Potanin, 42, who has amassed a personal fortune of pounds 944m said extremely rich people in Russia were a fact of
life, which Russians periodically try to change. "The last time was in 1917 - without considerable success,"
he said.
Mr Potanin, who funded Boris Yeltsin's 1996 presidential campaign and was first deputy prime minister of Russia
in the mid-90s, said oligarchs often did not enjoy political office. Roman Abramovich, the billionaire owner of Chelsea
Football Club, had not found his role as governor of Chukotka in the far north of Russia to be a satisfying
experience.
Mr Potanin said: "He does not consider this project to be a big success. He did not manage to prove that he
really does have cleaner transport and other targets."
He criticised Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who is facing trial on fraud charges, for straying into the political arena when
he was chief executive of Russia's biggest oil company, Yukos. He said: "Using Yukos for political reasons
creates a big misunderstanding. If John Browne from British Petroleum started acting in this way it would be
strange."
Mr Potanin, a keen Arsenal fan who has flown in his private jet to watch the Gunners play at Highbury, kicked into
touch suggestions that he wanted to invest pounds 120m in the club in return for some shares. "I don't think I
will do it," he said, adding that he wanted to invest in the future of Russia.
Yesterday the Russian finance minister, Alexei Kudrin, said talks had begun with Yukos on how to settle its
$3.4billion tax claim.
[The Daily Telegraph] |
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