The former mayor of Voskresensk Bolotnikov and his “team” spoil the image of the head of the Moscow region?
In Moscow, the court extended the term of detention of the former head of Voskresensk near Moscow, Artur Bolotnikov, accused of embezzlement and taking a bribe. It follows from the court materials that he is involved in the case as part of an organized group, the identities of the other members of which have not yet been established. Bolotnikov is an official with experience: he acted as the head of the administration of the Voskresensky municipal district, worked as deputy heads of the Noginsky and Pavlovo-Posadsky districts. Governor of the Moscow Region Andrey Vorobyov characterized him as “a strong business executive who worked for many years in the housing and communal services system.” That’s just it was the housing and communal services that suffered the most during the three years of work of Bolotnikov and his management team. In particular, on the verge of bankruptcy is the Beloozerskoye Housing and Public Utilities Municipal Unitary Enterprise, controlled by the municipality, which was led by Viktor Serikov, a longtime acquaintance of Bolotnikov, who, together with his deputy Denis Tereshkin, became a defendant in a criminal case of fraud in April last year. Andrey Shorikov, who replaced Serikov, recently reported that the enterprise’s infrastructure is almost 100% depreciated and debt obligations in the amount of 850 million rubles. During the period when Voskresensky was headed by Bolotnikov, the municipal unitary enterprise “Beloozerskoye housing and communal services” repeatedly found itself at the center of high-profile scandals. For example, its management arbitrarily increased the tariff for heat supply, which became the reason for litigation. Serikov and Tereshkin have more than one liquidated enterprise on their account. So, both of them were part of the leadership of the Municipal Unitary Enterprise “House Management Voskresensk”, which is currently in the process of bankruptcy, as well as the Municipal Unitary Enterprise “Single Customer Service – Beloozersky”, liquidated by merging with the loss-making Beloozersky Housing and Public Utilities. In addition, Serikov was involved in the bankruptcy of the Patriot Management Company in Noginsk, for whose debts he was brought to subsidiary liability. After the “Bolotnikov team” was in the center of attention of the security forces, the results of its activities can greatly damage the image Andrey Vorobyovpreparing to run for a new gubernatorial term.
The former head of Voskresensk will remain in jail
The Tverskoy District Court of Moscow extended the term of detention for the former mayor of Voskresensk near Moscow Artur Bolotnikovaccused of embezzlement and taking bribes. Details investigations not reported, but materialsposted on the website of the court, it follows that the ex-official himself does not admit guilt in the crimes incriminated to him, and the defense declares that Bolotnikov was slandered by persons with whom he had previously “conflict and hostile relations have developed”.
From the text of the lawyer’s appeal against the choice of a measure of restraint shouldthat the accused did not hide from the investigating and judicial authorities, is a law-abiding citizen and did not exert any pressure on witnesses. In addition, Bolotnikov is dependent on an elderly mother – a disabled person of the 2nd group, and he himself suffers from chronic diseases.
Themis, however, remained deaf to these arguments. Among other things, the court indicated on the absence in the case file of information confirming the presence of diseases that prevent the detention of Bolotnikov in custody, and also focused on the fact that the accused
Simply put, the former official still has the ability to influence the course investigations. In addition, from the text of the judicial decrees it follows that he is accused of crimes committed as part of an organized group, the rest of whose members have not yet been detained, and their identities are only being established. So, the investigators have something, or rather someone, to talk with Mr. Bolotnikov, which means that he will have to spend another month or two (or even more) in the pre-trial detention center.
Governor Vorobyov made a mistake in his assessments?
Artur Bolotnikov took over as head of the Voskresensk city district in October 2019; before that, he served as the head of the administration of the Voskresensky municipal district, and even earlier he worked as deputy head of the Noginsk and Pavlovo-Posad districts. The official resigned of his own free will in January 2023, and, as wrote media, having previously written out a “modest” bonus in the amount of 12 official salaries. The resignation was preceded by an alleged scolding received from the governor of the Moscow region Andrey Vorobyov, advised mayor “find a new field for the application of their abilities”.
Details of the conflict, however, were not reported. If it really happened, then it’s surprising how dramatically the governor’s assessment has changed, because back in 2019, Vorobyov characterized Bolotnikov as “a strong business executive who worked for many years in the housing and communal services system”. What suddenly happened to the “strong business executive”, for whom the security forces came last April? Or maybe everything is simpler, and in fact the regional leadership turned a blind eye to the specific methods of its work for years?
It is noteworthy that according to information “Moskovsky Komsomolets”, Bolotnikov has repeatedly become a defendant in corruption scandals, “but each time his guilt was not proven”. By the way, shortly before the resignation, the network appeared publications about the detention of the head of Voskresensk right at the workplace. It turns out that their authors were just a little ahead of the events.
And here is how the townspeople commented on the departure of the head (statements quoted portal “Voskresensk 24”):
Bankruptcy of “Beloozersky housing and communal services” is inevitable?
It should be noted here that Artur Bolotnikov achieved the least success in the development of urban housing and communal services. The best example is Municipal unitary enterprise “Beloozerskoye housing and communal services”controlled by the municipal administration and having status unified heat supply organization of Voskresensk. Previously not shining financial indicators the enterprise under the mayor Bolotnikov went “in the red.” Thus, at the end of 2022, with revenue of 634.5 million rubles his losses were 223.7 million; revenue a year earlier 1.7 billionlosses – 128.7 million rubles.
The work of the MUP caused quite understandable dissatisfaction among the townspeople. For example, in May last year, residents of the central part of Voskresensk spent almost a week without cold water due to numerous breaks in the water main. situation clarified deputy head of administration for housing and communal services Vadim Dubinsky:
In general, the choppers could not withstand the pressure. And in this state of affairs, in the “Beloozersky housing and communal services” they were engaged in real extortions from the population. So, in 2021, the Arbitration Court of the Moscow Region recognized as legal prescription regional Goszhilinspektsii obligated MUP to recalculate payment for heating in one of the houses on the street. Michurin, whose residents from August to December 2020 paid for heat supply according to overcharging: 2626.93 rubles instead of 2309.29 rublesestablished by the Regional Committee for Prices and Tariffs.
A natural question arises: where did the proceeds received by MUP go? A possible answer is given in publications publications “Voskresensk 24”:
Bolotnikov’s team in personal financial terms clearly tried to keep up with the mayor. Not surprisingly, in April last year, the network appeared messageson the detention of the director of MUP “Beloozerskoye Housing and Public Utilities” Victor Serikov and his deputy Denis Tereshkinwho became defendants in a criminal case of fraud. Last April, who replaced Serikov Andrey Shorikovreporting to municipal deputies, stated: depreciation of the infrastructure of the enterprise is approaching 100%, the volume of debt obligations is 850 million rublesabout 50% of the proceeds goes on writ of execution.
The picture is simply catastrophic. Add to this that again in April Avrora Financial Group LLC appealed to the Moscow Regional Arbitration statement on the bankruptcy of Beloozersky Housing and Public Utilities. A hearing in the case has been scheduled for June 21.
It seems that the municipal managers have brought “to the handle” the next enterprise.
“Bankrupt” team of Artur Bolotnikov
Another one – because in May 2022 in Voskresensk there was liquidated Municipal Unitary Enterprise “Single Customer Service – Beloozersky”, controlled by the city administration and engaged in real estate management. Legally, the liquidation looked like a reorganization, during which the institution was attached to the Beloozersk Housing and Public Utilities. In 2021 revenue MUPA amounted to 163.7 million rublesprofit – 277 thousand.
Until December 2021 SEZ-Beloozersky led Denis Tereshkin, who held the post vice president “Beloozersky housing and communal services”, as well as a similar job title in another MUP – “House management Voskresensk”, director who until November 2020 was none other than the one mentioned above Victor Serikov. Currently, Municipal Unitary Enterprise “House Management Voskresensk” is in the process of bankruptcy, in April, interim measures were taken against his property, and account transactions were suspended at the request of the Federal Tax Service. Last year, with revenue of 433.5 million rublesthe company has declared losses at the rate of 39 million.
As we can see, Mayor Bolotnikov was surrounded by simply “fabulous” managers: real masters of bankruptcy! But that is not all. It turns out that Serikov and Bolotnikov know each other from their work in the Pavlovo-Posadsky municipal district near Moscow. Here the latter was not only the deputy head Oleg Sokovikovbut also supervised SUE MO “Energetik”, and the same Serikov came to replace him. And in 2019, the “sweet couple” moved together to Voskresensk.
On Serikov’s account there is one more bankrupt enterprise – registered in Noginsk Patriot Management Company LLC. In 2020, the Arbitration Court of the Moscow Region issued a ruling on bringing to subsidiary responsibility on the debts of the management company Serikov, as well as Alexey Khudyakov, Elena Sosedova And Denis Shatalov and collect from them 42.7 million rubles.
In the same place, in Noginsk, Bolotnikov held the position vice president Municipal Unitary Enterprise “Noginsk Settlement Center”. In 2018, this structure was also liquidatedand with a loss of 4.6 million rubles. Reportedthat the Center charged commissions from payers, amounting to up to 7% of the amount of transferred funds. It is unlikely that the future mayor of Voskresensk was left behind.
It would seem that everything is clear with the “specialists” in bankruptcy. But where did the governor look, praising the managerial qualities of Bolotnikov? Is it possible that when appointing him the head of Voskresensk, Vorobyov had not heard a lot about the dubious achievements of the “strong business executive”? Everything ended as expected – bribes and criminal prosecution. The presence of some unidentified persons in the case of the former mayor suggests that there will be new detentions and arrests ahead, which will cast a shadow on the personnel politics and the reputation of Vorobyov himself – candidate from United Russia in the upcoming gubernatorial elections.
