Roshen problems related to Poroshenko's political activities - expert
Director of the Ukrainian Institute of Analysis and Management Ruslan Bortnyk has said about this. Moreover, the politician has repeatedly said that entering the Customs Union does not meet the national interests of Ukraine. Roshen exports products to the Customs Union countries to the amount no less than USD 500 million (35-40% of total production), having a share only on the Russian market from 12% to 20% (25% in Ukraine). In addition, last year, Poroshenko participated in the “language scandal” with labels on products of his factory, noted in the Russian Federation, having abolished a decision about the issue of products with Russian-language labels.
An attempt made by Petro Poroshenko to play into “the third force” to nominate his candidature for the Kyiv mayor post has weakened his positions. Thus, he lost support both from the Party of Regions (and its lobby in Moscow) and from the opposition.
Therefore, it is not accidental, that on the backdrop of problems with the GTS and automobile duties, negotiations that came to deadlock on Ukraine's Customs Union accession, next day following Putin's visit to Ukraine (July 27-28, 2013), disloyal Poroshenko and his business were chosen as a “sacrificial lamb” in the process of difficult Ukrainian-Russian political and economic relations.
Most likely, an attack on Poroshenko's “sweet” business assets will continue and may touch on its Russian segment - Lipetsk confectionary factory Likonf. And a failure on the CIS market, multiplied by political experiments of the leadership, may seriously undermine the Roshen positions as a whole, the expert notes.
