There are two sources of such statistics. It originates from the Ministry for Revenues and Fees. Then, the ministry told the State Statistics Service to alter their figures.
The ministry cited United Nations guidelines for the new rules that exclude some types of data (namely, re-exported gasoline) from the national figures. But the reasoning does not stand up to criticism because the guidelines, in fact, say this data should also be kept separately.
So why would the ministry need to hide obscure national statistics from the public eye? We think we have answers.
Ukraine’s biggest gasoline trader at the moment is Serhiy Kurchenko, a young multi-millionaire who shot into the limelight last year. He has been linked by an Interfax-Ukraine news report to the three biggest gasoline traders selling to Belize. He, as well as Minister for Revenues and Fees Oleksandr Klymenko, are members of the “family,” a close circle of advisers to President Viktor Yanukovych and his elder son Oleksandr.
It would not be surprising if one pal was covering up for another – especially if there was something to hide. It is doubtful that Belize, a nation of 300,000 people with its own oil industry, needed $740 million worth of gasoline in the first five months of 2013, as was initially reported.
Nor is there a proper official explanation as to why, in the first five months of this year, Ukraine consumed and exported more gasoline than it produced and imported – much more, in the range of 1.6 million tons. Unless, of course, the “family” critics are right and Ukraine is not exporting nearly as much gas as traders claim, and instead are using a scheme called “interrupted transit” to avoid taxes.
It works this way: On paper, a company imports and exports gasoline, which allows it to avoid paying excise and import taxes on these products. In reality, the fuel is sold in Ukraine. And if the trader’s documents show that the oil products are re-exported though bonded warehouses, this business operation no longer registers in the national statistics. Bingo.
