In the conditions of a chronic deficit in the budget of the breakaway republic of Transnistria, which annually exceeds 20%, the Transnistrian administration during the last three years provided more than US$200 million to local enterprises in order to support them, IPN reports, quoting an investigation entitled “Rippers” of the Transnistrian budget that was carried out by the Association of investigative journalists RISE Moldova.

The article says that among the beneficiaries are a number of companies that are managed or led by deputies of the so-called supreme soviet (local parliament).

“One of these is the Tiraspol-based enterprise “Moldavizolit” that belongs to the firm “Universal Trade”, owned by deputy Yevgheny Gusan (the son of the Transnistrian oligarch Victor Gusan, founder of the local holding “Sheriff”), but the firm is managed by another deputy of the so-called supreme soviet of Transnistria Porfiri Shkiliniuk”, say the authors of the investigation, referring to founding documents obtained by RISE Moldova.

The article says that despite the fact that since 2014 until the first half of 2016, “Moldavizolit” received from the so-called government of the region state aid in the form of tax benefits in the amount of 25.3 million Transnistrian rubles (US$2m), the factory’s administration in the period dismissed 150 employees, even if this was against the assistance rules.

There are also mentioned other enterprises that received support in the form of tax benefits and low prices of gas on the pretext of the economic crisis, but, simultaneously, transferred the money to offshore areas.

“In 2010-2015, assistance to the value of US$5.6 million in tax benefits and low gas prices, of up to US$15 per 1,000 cubic meters, was provided to the firm “Tirotext-energo” managed by deputy Vadim Levitski. This thing didn’t hinder the owners from transferring about US$600,000 to the Cypriot company Lenmana Limited as investment return in 2015.

“Since 2014 until the first half of 2016, SA “Tirotex”, which is also managed by a deputy, received from the state 100.4 million rubles (about US$9m) in support. The Tiraspol bakery complex in January 2012 – June 2014 received stimuli to the value of 5.1 million rubles (about US$450,000), while the firm “Energocapital” benefitted from gas at lower prices and transferred approximately US$20m to offshore areas,” wrote RISE Moldova.