Former Prosecutor General Yuri Skuratov
Photo: Ivan MAKEEV
Former Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation Yuri Skuratov answered questions from KP.RU political commentator Alexander Gamov.
– Yuri Ilyich, on Wednesday, March 27, the following sensational information appeared: since the beginning of 2023, the Prosecutor General’s Office has returned 15 large military-industrial enterprises to state ownership. This has not happened before.
– Well, it is quite obvious that the Northern Military District pressured, among other things, the Prosecutor General’s Office to take measures to strengthen our defense complex.
– You and I have repeatedly commented on the transfer of previously privatized individual enterprises to state ownership. But it turns out that this is already a large-scale process…
– Yes, which already allows us to conclude that the review of the privatization procedure for this type of companies is one of the areas of work of the Attorney General’s Office.
– That is, we are talking about violations committed during the so-called “denationalization” – in the 90s.
– Yes. The main violation, Alexander, as far as I know, is due to the fact that privatization was limited to the actions of local state property management bodies. And this type of company…
– Defending!
… – having federal importance, they had to be privatized with the participation of federal structures.
– Well, and, of course, first of all, you take into account who runs them, these companies where the products are sold… Or maybe they sell them to our, so to speak, enemies?
– All this together forced the prosecutor’s office to go to court and begin to return the factories to state ownership. And of course, we are not talking about deprivatization, and you and I talked about this: that there will certainly not be a total review of the results of privatization. The main question here now is how effectively the State will manage these companies, or those new owners to whom it will transfer the companies, say, to trust management. And another question: is the Federal Property Management Agency, in its current state, ready to organize effective management? There were signs that expensive equipment had been stolen and destroyed at some companies. Therefore, the prosecutor’s office must complete the control of legality in this area. People know what privatization was like and, as they say, the biggest mistakes, of course, must be corrected, which is what now worries the prosecutor’s office and the courts.
– One day, we, journalists and the head of state arrived in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, to one of the defense enterprises, where it was not clear who the owner was, where the money went, who should pay the workers who did it. . not receiving salary… And then the prosecutor’s office took over this matter and the banks got involved and saved this defense company. Therefore, for example, I sincerely hope that you agree with me that normal owners will be found, especially now that the SVO is underway, especially since this is a military-industrial complex company.
– If everything is correct. Otherwise, why would all this be worth starting? Therefore, having said A, you must also say B…
– How many more do you think there are in this row: B, D, etc.?
– I think that this is not the last decision of the courts… But I am sure that these issues will be resolved in a calm legal regime, each time considering the situation individually.
– Understood. Thank you very much, Yuri Ilyich.
– Yes, all the best to you too, Alexander.
