Penza, 6 February 2015. PenzaNews. All those responsible for “Penza Passenger Transportation” going bankrupt must be held responsible, and the Liberal-Democratic Party of Russia will fight for it, said Mikhail Usov, coordinator of the Party branch in Penza.

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“LDPR finds it unacceptable to close down the municipal enterprise and leave over 1,300 people without their jobs. Moreover, the bankruptcy threatens the regional transportation discount campaign aimed at socially disadvantaged people, and the closure of a company responsible for over 50% of all city commute routes may significantly increase transportation fares,’ he noted.

According to Mikhail Usov, the fact that a private-owned transportation company, LLC “Corporatsiya Dilizhans,” already tried to push forward a steep increase in maximum fares from 17 to 29 rubles in order to satisfy its interests, speaks in favor of his aforementioned statements.

“This initiative created by the deputy Andrei Fomin, owner of ‘Dilizhans,’ flopped in 2014, and this United Russia politician may have decided to avoid becoming poor by trying a different route and bankrupt ‘Penza Passenger Transportation,’ the main player on the transportation market, to benefit his gains. It is obvious the private-own transportation company influenced the municipal enterprise and slowly but surely made the latter company’s debts to it and other affiliated companies grow,” the leade of the Penza LDPR expressed his opinion.

“So why did ‘Penza Passenger Transportation’ loan money not from the large banks such as Sberbank and VTB but from ‘Agrosoyuz,’ a bank directly related to the brother of Oleg Fomin who owns ‘Dilizhans’? Why did the authorities of the municipal enterprise look over acts of blatant deception in transportation volumes? Why did it voluntarily gave in during the 2012 competition for the most profitable transportation routes, leaving only the least profitable for itself? This is an illicit undercover deal between the companies, and the bankruptcy seems to be a clever plan of transportation oligarchs of the Penza city who try to tailor the market for their own purses,” Mikhail Usov remarked.

He specifically stressed it was “Dilizhans” who opened the case against “Penza Passenger Transportation” on the grounds of a debt of 42.7 million rubles.

“This is why I am not surprised the bankruptcy process goes so fast and the debt owners voted against financial recovery and external management of the company, basically closing it down. Of course it is better to close down the enterprise, bite off of its market share, raise fare and increase profits. Only what good will it gain for the people in Penza city? Nothing! Those private-owned companies, who, by the way, pay practically nonexistent taxes to the budget, will service only profitable routes, profitable passengers and profitable daytimes. And an elderly person who would like to see his children and grandchildren in the evening will have to wait for hours on the bus stop and freeze outdoors for nothing!” Mikhail Usov expressed his outrage.

“LDPR will investigate the potential deal aimed at bankrupting ‘Penza Passenger Transportation,’ and work to bring those rascals invested in this process to law despite their standings, deputy passports and rich relatives. LDPR will demand stopping the process of firing the municipal staff in order to move them for equally profitable jobs. LDPR will demand to preserve municipal commute, both buses and trolley buses,” he ensured.

Mikhail Usov also added his party will organize a public rally on February 7, 12.00 am, in order to urge the officials to prevent the bankruptcy process.

“I invite all active citizens to take part in our campaign, and ask journalists to tell about it. Only together can we protect municipal commute!” he concluded.