Moscow Ninth Arbitration Court of Appeal declared null and void yesterday, November 8, 2005, the eight-year privatization contract for airport building facilities of Domodedovo - the largest airport in Russia currently managed by East Line Group. The award actually paved the way for Dododedovo nationalization.

Rosimushchestvo went to law in summer with claims covering the swap contract of September 15, 1997. At that time, the state-run Domodedovo Production Association of Civil Aviation (Russian acronym is DPOGA) transferred movable and immovable assets of the airport into the ownership of Domodedovo-2, which was further reorganized into AVK Domodedovo, in exchange for the 48.65 percent in the latter. The state-run stake in Domodedovo-2 was watered by new issues of stocks, the company, however, retained the movable assets, while immovable assets went to Cyprus offshore Hacienda Investments Ltd.

AVK Domodedovo is 100-percent owned by FML Ltd (the British Virgin Islands), which is also the owner of East Line Handling (succeeded by Domodedovo Airport?s Commercial Agency this year).

The yesterday?s award commits Domodedovo-2 to return movable assets of Domodedovo Airport at their balance value on date of transfer in 1997 (1.65 billion rubles) and paves the way to demanding and obtaining the airport building facilities, which are a part of immovable property.

Kommersant
sections: Economics, Region News
areas: Central region