The National Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA) reports yet another attempt to block the tender process of selecting a manager for the Gulliver shopping center. It concerns a complaint to the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine (AMCU) submitted by Star Investment East LLC.

According to available information, the company’s authorized representative also heads the Esplanade Management Company Consortium, one of the participants in the previous tender, which was rejected by ARMA for violations of tender requirements, including an affiliation with the owner of the seized asset.

This directly contradicts Clause 6 of Section III of the tender documentation, which prohibits participation by companies affiliated with, or acting in concert with, the owner of the seized asset. Considering this restriction, Star Investment East LLC is not eligible to take part in the procedure and, therefore, to file a complaint. Thus, the complaint is groundless.

ARMA stresses that attempts to manipulate legal procedures to block a fair and transparent tender by exploiting formally legal mechanisms in an abusive manner are bound to fail. The Agency already has experience in countering such manipulations - earlier, the AMCU dismissed complaints filed by entities related to the owner of the shopping center.

The National Agency calls on the public and the media to closely monitor the tender process. ARMA will not allow any attempts to disrupt the tender. ARMA guarantees: the state will receive revenues from the management of this high-profile asset after the selection of a trustworthy manager.