Kuchinskas arrested in Slovenia in the past, a series of failed businesses in Belarus and Russia

“As I understand it, he is in custody,” said Laurynas Lukošiūnas, Sorainen’s lawyer, representing Alfa Bank’s largest creditor, Alfa Bank.

He explained that Kuchinsky’s arrest was related to the Arvi NPK registered in Russia.

“In total, in 2012–2015, Alfa Bank made several loans to Arvi NPK, the total amount of which, including interest and penalties, exceeds LTL 20 million. euros It is this amount that Alfa Bank seeks to recover from the Lithuanian businessman due to unfulfilled financial obligations, – said L. Lukošiūnas.

A large-scale fraud case against V. Kuchinsky was filed in Russia in 2019.

“The fraud lawsuit filed by the Russian Federation police means that there are possible signs of a criminal act in V. Kuchinsk’s actions to obtain loans from the bank. To obtain financial benefits for his company, V. Kučinskas may have sent misleading documents to bank representatives about the financial situation of Arvi NPK registered in Russia. This could have been decisive when evaluating the credit risk and when making decisions to grant loans to the company, “explained L. Lukošiūnas.

The lawyer noted that, according to data collected by Arvi NPK, a pre-trial investigation had been launched in Russia, which led to his arrest in Slovenia.

“It is not yet clear when the extradition to Russia will take place. It will take several months,” L. Lukošiūnas told Delfi.

For her part, Kristina Kučinskienė, the wife of V. Kučinskas, stated that she hoped he would not be extradited to Russia.

„V. Kuchink cannot wait for an impartial and independent court in the Russian Federation, therefore we await the cooperation and principles of the European Union to resolve the issue of V. Kuchin’s extradition to Russia,

Kuchin himself has previously called for Alfa Bank’s intimidation tactic the charges against him in Russia.

On Wednesday, it was announced that the Kaunas Regional Prosecutor’s Office is also conducting a pre-trial investigation against V. Kučinskas.

Other creditors are waiting

L. Lukošiūnas said that Alfa Bank is not the only creditor of Arvi, which seeks to recover its debts from V. Kučinskas and related companies. “The total amount of the Arvi Group’s indebtedness to international creditors can reach more than 40 million. He considered.

Arvi’s creditors include fertilizer trader Belor, Serbian gas company JP Serbijagas, Swiss Vertical and others.

Belor CFO Evaldas Janušauskas told Delfi that the Arvi NPK fertilizer plant in Kaliningrad is probably Arvi’s most outrageous investment project abroad.

„V. On November 27, 2015, Kučinskas entered into an agreement on the provision of guarantees and the obligation to compensate for losses, i. that is to say, it guaranteed the adequate fulfillment of the obligations of Arvi NPK with Alfa Bank and promised to pay the amount due at the request of the applicant (equivalent to the main debtor of the guarantor).

He did so after concluding a donation agreement on November 4, 2015, in which he donated 40 percent. Vyrja, the main holding company of the Arvi Group, shares his son Justas Kučinskas.

Of course, the bank was not informed of the donation agreement concluded. The grant agreement was published in the Records Center only on September 7, 2016, i. and. after 10 months

In this way, V. Kučinskas deliberately donated his most valuable possessions: Vyrja’s shares, with only 10%. of should 50 percent. and ensuring if Alfa Bank began to recover personal assets, “he said.

E. Janušauskas noted that the donation of Vyrja shares was canceled by the decision of the Lithuanian Court of Appeal of May 3, 2018.

“It is even more interesting that up to now, for more than 2 years, V. Kučinskas has not complied with the decision of the Lithuanian Court of Appeal and has not re-registered Vyrja’s actions in his own name,” he was surprised.

A representative of Belor further stated that in the event of breach of Alvi Bank’s obligations to Arvi NPK, bankruptcy proceedings were initiated on July 20, 2017 by decision of the Kaliningrad Regional Arbitration Court.

“The movable and immovable property promised to Arvi NPK has been taken over by the creditor Alfa Bank; the plant has been inactive for 3 years,” said E. Janušauskas.

Unsuccessful clone

In 2013 Arvi planned to build an animal waste processing plant in Russia and established the Veterinarnaja sanitarija Bashkorkostana company.

“Following the example of Rietavas veterinary sanitation,” explained E. Janušauskas.

According to Russian records, 80 percent. Marijampolės Arvi owned the shares of the company.

“A parcel of land and the like were assigned for the project. In September 2019, the company was deregistered from the Russian Business Registry, ”said E. Janušauskas.

In 2012 Arvi planned to build a sugar beet processing plant in Kaliningrad and established the Slavskij Sachar company. Marijampolės Arvi owned the shares.

“Slavskij Sachar has been subject to administrative liability for negligence of the leased land. In May 2020, the company was withdrawn from the Russian Companies Registry,” said E. Janušauskas.

Investments in Belarus

In early 2017, a new Arvibelagro turkey processing complex was opened in the Grodno Free Economic Zone of Belarus, funded by BPS-Sberbank, a subsidiary of Sberbank in Belarus.

According to the Belarusian registry, 95 percent. The Arvibelagro shares were owned by Marijampolės Arvi.

The inauguration of the complex was attended by the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, and promises development and new jobs.

During his visit to Delfi in Belarus in 2015, Arūnas Bernadišius, director of the new company, said that it was planned to employ about 200 people.

“Half will go to the factory administration and workers, and the rest to the food center and farms,” ​​he said. – The main workforce will be local and should be sufficient. People constantly come looking for work. “

A. Bernadišius also said that a full turkey production line is planned to be established in Belarus, from meat raised to final packaging.

“We will sell raw and processed meat (sausages, etc., the same as in Lithuania),” explained A. Bernadišius.

The interlocutor emphasized that around 40 million were invested in the processing workshop in the Lida district. part of which was borrowed from a bank operating in Belarus.

Speaking about relations with the Belarusian government, Bernadish said they were normal, although there were problems such as delays.

“For Belarusians, turkey is as exotic as ostrich in Lithuania. Compared to the situation in Lithuania in 2004, when more serious turkey production started, the situation in Belarus is similar: about 100 grams per head per year, and now we sell around 2 kilograms in Lithuania. We also expect a similar result here “, the director of Arvibelagro showed the business plans.

However, as E. Janušauskas pointed out, in mid-2018, the Belarusian State Audit Office noted in the press that the complex is not operating at full capacity, and that it does not export products, which was one of the main objectives of the opening.

“In mid-2019, the press continues to mention Arvibelagro’s shortage of raw materials and part-time work, while Arvibelagro promises to solve the problems with the help of a new investor,” said a Belor spokesperson.

The mentioned “investor” is a farmer Irmantas Grigas. The turkeys he raised were exported to Belarus and were not paid. It has been reported in the media that I. Grigo’s farm has been ruined and the property has been sold at auction this year.

“We will not continue our activities yet, there are many things to do with Arvi himself. I feel cheated and I do not want to return to that activity.” I. Grigas told BNS in December 2019.

As E. Janušauskas points out, the help of the “investor” did not help for long. “According to the Belarusian Tax Inspectorate, Arvibelagro is on the black list of taxpayers (Q1 2020),” he said.

A video posted on YouTube in April by Belarusian opposition figure Sergei Tikhanyovsky shows that the Arvibelagro turkeys are gone.

Arvi Group also planned to invest in the Mogilev region of Belarus. In late 2017, the Arvi Group established a new company, Klimarvi, with the aim of building a turkey processing complex there.

“Investment agreements have been signed with the district authorities, the plots have been separated, benefits have been provided …” – said E. Janušauskas.

However, in 2020 Klimarvi was removed from the Belarusian Business Register and the company was liquidated.

Dominated the technical salt market

Another connection of Arvi with Belarus is through the Baltkalis company.

According to data from the Public Procurement Office, since 2009 a supplier, Baltkalis, has established itself in the market for technical salt for road diffusion, gaining 96% in the 2009-2015 period. The value of public procurement.

Comparing the volumes of public procurement, in the period 2003–2009, the total volume of public procurement of technical salt was 20.8 million. euros At that time, after Baltkalis entered the market in the 2010-2015 period, the total volume of public purchases of technical salt increased to LTL 48.7 million. EUR, that is and. More than double.

E. Janušauskas considered that the situation could only change after Belor seized the Baltkalis property due to debts in 2018.

“With property seizures and can no longer participate in public procurement, Baltkalis established a Baltkalis LT subsidiary in August 2018,” he said.

According to the data of the financial report submitted to the Registry of Legal Entities, in 2019 Baltkalis LT had no sales income and incurred a net loss of EUR 1,009. In comparison, in 2018, the company received € 658,525 in revenue and incurred a net loss of -169,916 euros.

As of March 2019, Baltkalis shareholders were distributed as follows: 42 percent. Vyrja, controlled by the V. Kučinskas family, 40 percent. – Belaruskalij (supplier of technical salt) is registered in Belarus, the remaining 18%. – The minority shareholders of the Arvi group of companies are R. Malinauskas and the Urbaičiai family (9% each).

“In March 2019, 40 percent. The shares of OAO Belaruskalij were sold to Aleksandr Adianov. The change of shares took place in the same month that Baltkalis was included in the list of unreliable suppliers due to breach of contract with Panevėžio energija, – pointed out E. Janušauskas.

In addition, he noted that since 2014, Baltkalis has been funded by Sberbank Europe AG (a € 9 million credit line), which is currently being canceled.

“On July 21, by decision of the Lithuanian Court of Appeal, EUR 615 thousand. (+ 6% interest from February 3, 2017 until debt payment + EUR 30,983 legal fees) Debt from Baltkalis to Belor, “added a representative from Belor.” To date, Baltkalis’s total debt to Belor, taking into account legal interest and expenses, has become EUR 775 thousand. “

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, V. Kuchinsky remains the Honorary Consul of the Russian Federation in Marijampolė.