Ukrainian International Airlines / Photo from UNIAN
Ukrainian businessman Ihor Kolomoisky talked to reporters yesterday, July 22, after a general meeting of the shareholders of Ukrnafta, and was asked to comment on a range of issues, including his business in Aerosvit and Ukraine International Airlines (UIA).
I switched to the UIA about a year and a half ago after the authorities attacked Aerosvit, Ukraine’s largest airline at the time," said Kolomoisky, "But we are not used to put down our banners... As a result, Aerosvit won over the UIA at the cost of its own life," The Insider reports.
According to Kolomoisky, Borys Kolesnikov, shareholder at the time and also the infrastructure minister, "was engaged in blatant protectionism in favor of one company, destroying the Ukrainian Aviation Group [Ukrainian alliance of three airlines owned by Privat Group and led by Ihor Kolomoisky] combining Dniproavia, Aerosvit and Donbassaero".
Kolesnikov repeatedly articulated the need for reforms and restructuring of the aviation market in Ukraine. Besides, Klymenko’s [former minister of revenue and duties during Yanukovych’s regime] efforts dealt a final blow to the company, according to Kolomoisky, when his company was one step ahead of the UIA in competition.
Kolomoisky noted that Kolesnikov had sold his share in the UIA.
"It was a complicated scheme," Kolomoisky said refusing to disclose the price of the deal to reporters.
As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukrainian businessman Ihor Kolomoisky was considering the acquisition of a state stake in power generating company Zaporizhyaoblenergo.