22 carriages with Russian coal confiscated in Brest

Judge Aleg Miranyuk of Brest's Leninski District Court on Tuesday rejected the lawsuit filed by the Russia-based Kuzbas Energy Company and Eximcoal company, seeking to lift the arrest of the cargo of coal for the Polish company Kokschem. On May 31, 18 carriages were arrested at the Brest East railway cargo terminal, and 4 carriages were disconnected from a Poland-bound train.

The arrest was carried out on the grounds that the coal should be converted into the profit of the state of Bealrus. Alexander Klim, a co-owner of the Kokschem company, is legally bound by the ruling of the Surepme Court of Belarus to pay together with two more people 663,461,000 Belarus rubels to this country. Besides, the Belarusian court ruled that Klim's assets should be sezied.

Rafal Melnichuk from Kokschem told Euroradio:

"A representative of the Ministry of Finance was at the court hearing, but when asked, for instance, how much Alexander Klim ows to the Belarusian state, he answered it did not matter". 

Melnichuk also noted that in accordance with the international practice, limited liablity companies (like Kokschem in this case) "are not held liable for debts of its shareholders, while the latter are not resonsibkle for the debts of the company. This is an international legal standard, and Belarus is trying to breach it".

Representatives of the Kuzbas Energy Company and Czech Republic-based company Eksicoal Gasanov and Lisetski tried to prove that the cargo was not delivered to its destination, the Polish stations of Malyshevich. That's why the cargo belongs to them, not Kokschem. Mr Gasanov explained to Euroradio:

"Belarus has indebted certain amount to Russia for energy resources, including those that are transited to Europe. Belarus pays the costs which it sets by itselt. The Russian leader said it was inadmissable. Here is the reaction of Belarus". 

Mr Gasanov described the case over coal as a deadlock.

The Belarus Railways, who were in court as witnesses, said the carriages were not unloaded yet. The demurrage of one carriage costs 23 Swiss francs per day. 

One ton of coal costs between $70 and $150. The total weight of the cargo is 2500 tons.

Photo: img-fotki.yandex.ru