UPDATE: Sistema asks court to disqualify judge again under Rosneft suit

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UFA, Aug 8 (PRIME) -- Russian multi-industry holding Sistema has asked the Arbitration Court of the republic of Bashkortostan to disqualify Judge Irina Nurislamova who hears a 170.6 billion ruble suit filed against the company by Rosneft, according to the information obtained by PRIME in the court on Thursday.

Judge Nurislamova gave floor to the defendants so that they could describe their position in the case. A Sistema representative tried to file a procedural motion, but Judge Nurislamova did not allow them to do it saying that the defendant violates the order of the hearing. “In this case, we request that you be recused,” the representative said.

The court announced a 15-minute break allowing Sistema lawyers to prepare a written motion.

Earlier on Tuesday, a Sistema representative asked Judge Nurislamova to delay the hearing as previously the court refused to include some third parties in the case and they filed appeals against the decisions. “We are asking the court to delay the hearing until appeals from the parties that you refused to involve into the hearing are studied,” the representative said. But Judge Nurislamova rejected the motion.

The court earlier rejected motions form oil company Bashneft’s minority owner Alexei Kislitsyn and German company Tann Capital GmbH. The court scheduled hearings of their appeals for August 14 and August 22, respectively.

Rosneft, Bashneft, and the Ministry of Land and Property Relations of Bashkortostan objected against the motion saying that its goal is only to drag on the proceedings.

Rosneft filed its suit in May, seeking to recover a loss stemming from an alleged asset stripping at Bashneft in 2009–2014 by Sistema.

In June, the Arbitration Court of Bashkortostan ordered to seize 185 billion rubles worth of assets of Sistema, including a 31.76% stake in mobile operator MTS, 100% in healthcare company Medsi, and 90.5% in Bashkir Power Grid Company, under the Rosneft case.

(60.0605 rubles – U.S. $1)

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