Rosneft: Sistema must pay at least 136 bln rbl for amicable deal

MOSCOW, Dec 14 (PRIME) -- Russian oil major Rosneft is still ready to discuss an amicable agreement with multi-industry holding Sistema on conditions that the holding repays it 136.3 billion rubles under a court decision over the first lawsuit, Rosneft’s press secretary Mikhail Leontyev told RBC TV channel late on Wednesday.

“We will act consistently, we will consistently demand the damage brought – step by step as we said. But at the same time our proposals on (amicable) settlement remain on the table. And nobody prevents Sistema from starting a constructive dialogue,” Leontyev said.

Rosneft can’t allow itself to turn down the court decision over the first suit, he said. “It is a red line. And then – please, we have an attracted intermediary – the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which received all powers, this is quite a solid organization absolutely neutral in this case,” he said.

In August, the Arbitration Court of the republic of Bashkortostan partially satisfied a 170.6 billion ruble suit filed by Rosneft, Bashneft and Bashkortostan, where Bashneft is located, to charge Sistema and its affiliate Sistema-Invest for the losses allegedly caused to Bashneft in 2014 during its reorganization. In 2014, Sistema was the core owner of Bashneft. Sistema was ordered to repay 136.3 billion rubles, but the court decision has not come into force yet, as both sides are contesting the decision.

In early December, Rosneft and Bashneft filed a new suit against Sistema seeking to recover 131.6 billion rubles that Sistema received in dividends from Bashneft. In response, Sistema filed a 330.449 billion ruble suit against Rosneft and Bashneft accusing the companies of actions aimed at a reduction of the corporation’s value and moving it to bankruptcy.

Sistema also said then it had not in fact held talks on an amicable agreement with the companies.

(59.1446 rubles – U.S. $1)

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