Who is new owner of Chisinau Airport: Russian billionaire businessman and partner with Putin's close chum?
foto: publika.md
The new owner of Chisinau International Airport is Andrey Goncharenko, the CEO of a Gazprom subsidiary and a business partner with Boris Rotenberg, wrties timpul.md. Rotenberg was listed by Forbes as Russia's 69th wealthiest person in 2016 with a net worth of $1.07 billion and considered to have close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Daily Mail reported in 2018 that "like most wealthy Russians, of course, Goncharenko was also well-connected to the Kremlin" thanks to a close business relationship with billionaire Rotenberg. Boris Rotenberg used to be Putin’s judo partner.
In the investigation "How Putin cronies BOUGHT London", the writer talked about how wealthy Russians came to afford the high-end real estates in London.
The Russian press also wrote about relations between Goncharenko and Rusisan's close person, Rotenberg brothers.
The new beneficiary of the airport, whose London's real estate is estimated at 250 million British pounds, has been mentioned to be linked to some corruption dossiers. Despite colossal millions of dollars and billion of rubles were pointed, he remains innocent.
In another context, Moldovan President Igor Dodon has called the 2013 concession agreement a “criminal decision” by the previous government and reiterated to restore the Chisinau International Airport to the state management. In today's Facebook post, he threatened otherwise with dismissals until people that can abide by the law are found.
The company owned by British billionaire Nat Rothschild has pulled out of the management of Chisinau International Airport, following months of disputes.
Dodon said Rothschild's company actually realized the illegalities in the concession agreement and consequently decided to give up this dirty deal.
Finding out the new Russian investor owning Chisinau airport, PPDA MPs have accused Igor Dodon of surrendering Moldova to Russians.
However, the head of state denied any involvement although he told the Russian press in September that a Russian entrepreneur could take over the airport.