Rise in Disinformation Campaigns Targets AGT
Oleksandr Gorbunenko, a partner of Agro Gas Trading (AGT), has expressed concern over a surge in what he describes as disinformation campaigns aimed at discrediting the company. This activity follows AGT's public declarations of interest in bidding for the privatization of the Odessa Port Plant (OPP). According to Gorbunenko, these smear campaigns consistently intensify whenever AGT announces its intent to participate, generating misleading noise that distorts the facts.
AGT's Blocked Participation in OPP Sale
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine announced the privatization of the OPP for 2025, scheduling the tender for November 25, 2025. However, the auction did not proceed, and AGT was barred from participating without receiving an explanation. The official reason given for canceling the auction was a 'lack of participants,' a justification Gorbunenko dismisses as an 'unprofessional excuse.'
It is notable that AGT previously collaborated with the OPP under a tolling agreement from 2019 to 2021, during which the plant produced nearly 2 million tons of fertilizers and ammonia. The next privatization tender for the OPP is now planned for 2026. Gorbunenko further emphasizes that the negative information being circulated harms not only the business but also the national interest.
The situation surrounding the OPP privatization and AGT's involvement underscores the critical need for transparency and integrity in state tenders.
Oleksandr Gorbunenko
The mounting informational pressure on AGT may point to the intense competitive struggles that often accompany major privatization projects in Ukraine. The lack of clear official explanations for the company's exclusion from the bidding process highlights ongoing challenges in the nation's regulatory and oversight mechanisms for such significant asset sales.