Joint Statement of the MFA and Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine

On March 19, 2014 OMON (riot police) officers, special police unit under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, seized and locked the "Roshen" factory in Lypetsk. Representatives of Russian law enforcement agencies did not show any documents that allowed them to break into the territory of the enterprise and suspend production. The company "Roshen" did not receive any official notice or warnings which would have been a precondition for unlawful interference in their activities.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine believes that the seizure of factories "Roshen" in Russia is the logical continuation of a politically motivated campaign that was launched against the Ukrainian investors when last year Rospotrebnadzor introduced sanctions against the company "Roshen" as one of the biggest Ukrainian producers. There are all grounds to believe that Russian authorities have actually begun to seize "Roshen" industrial facilities located in Russia. Thus, they have violated the fundamental principle of the inviolability of private property guaranteed by international laws, in particular, Article 1 of Protocol № 1 of the European Convention on Human Rights, as well as Article 35 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. Russian government sets a dangerous precedent that could turn into a boomerang.

The new Ukrainian government, despite Russia's aggression in Crimea, which is an integral part of Ukraine, guarantees and respects the rights of Russian investors in Ukraine, as well as investors from other countries. We demand the same attitude to Ukrainian investors in Russia

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine demand that the official bodies of Russia urgently stop interfering in the operation of the Roshen's confectionary factory in Russia and present explanations on the seizure of the factory.

We urge Russia not to put economic relations dependent on the already complex political situation.