RUSSIA: MABETEX ALLEGED CORRUPTION INVESTIGATION LATEST

Описание: (23 Mar 1999) Russian/Nat

The Russian General Prosecutor's office is continuing its investigation into a Swiss company called Mabetex which won lucrative contracts from the Kremlin to renovate official buildings in Russia.

Mabetex officials have denied any wrongdoing and the company has threatened to sue Russian Prosecutor General Yuri Skuratov who alleged the Swiss company could have been bribing Russian officials to secure the deals.

Swiss Attorney General Carla del Ponte is due to arrive in Moscow on Tuesday for talks with Skuratov on the issue.

The Swiss company Mabetex launched a counter offensive on Tuesday.

They have repeatedly denied accusations from the Russian General Prosecutor's office that they were involved in corruption.

SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
"Our work is to sign as many contracts as possible and to work, that is what we care about, and what the general prosecutors office cares about is carefully investigating everything."
SUPER CAPTION: Bejet Pokkoli, Mabetex President

Skuratov hasn't named any suspects in the Mabetex case, but the Russian media have been abuzz with rumours that Yeltsin's daughter Tatyana and his top manager Pavel Borodin are implicated in the probe.

Mabetex contracts to renovate top-level official buildings in Moscow and Yeltsin's residences elsewhere in Russia have run into hundreds of (m) millions of U-S dollars.

But the Mabetex president insisted there had been no bribes involved in winning the contracts.

SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
"Of course, the problem probably exists, if you want me to say that I've been bought off by someone, I will not do that. My firm was not bought off."
SUPER CAPTION: Bejet Pokkoli, Mabetex President

Switzerland's Federal Prosecutor Carla del Ponte arrived later on Tuesday for a two-day visit.

She will hold talks with Skuratov which will focus on Mabetex's activities and any possible Swiss connection.

SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
"We were one of many firms who worked there and that we are from Switzerland, I cannot do anything about that. It's not my fault that all the banks opened their doors."
SUPER CAPTION: Bejet Pokkoli, Mabetex President

Skuratov has said that his probe into official corruption linked to Mabetex's activities helped provoke attempts to
oust and smear him.

Skuratov submitted his resignation last month citing health reasons, then changed his mind last week, telling
the Russian parliament's upper house he had been forced to resign under duress.

Lawmakers decided he should stay.

Under Russian law, a president can't fire a prosecutor general without a parliamentary approval.

Skuratov found himself the center of attention for another reason last week, when Russian television aired a lurid
tape apparently showing him in bed with two women.

The scandal has further eroded Yeltsin's power, which is already weakened by his frequent illnesses, and encouraged Communists and other hard-liners to step up their attacks on the president.

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