Will the Shuvalov and Sopronenko schools delay their opening?
The Voronezh mayor’s office refused to sign a contract to build a school for 1,500 students valued at 2.5 billion rubles due to increased project costs linked to a rise in the Central Bank's key rate to 20%. The Moscow company, Twenty-seventh Concession Company Enlightenment, connected to the major Russian educational publisher Enlightenment, was supposed to be the concessionaire. In May last year, VEB.RF, Sberbank, and the Russian Direct Investment Fund became shareholders of the Enlightenment group. A month later, VEB head Igor Shuvalov became chairman of the holding's board, announcing Enlightenment's involvement in a program to build new schools in a public-private partnership through the state corporation ProShkola LLC. VEB.RF previously planned to invest 85 billion rubles in school construction. To lead these efforts, Shuvalov brought in Otto Sopronenko, a former top manager of VEB-Capital with a controversial past. Sopronenko had registered numerous unprofitable shell concession companies to secure construction agreements, which often led to issues. For instance, in Nizhny Novgorod, the construction of a school complex was delayed, and in Novosibirsk, local deputies were dissatisfied with the choice of concessionaire.
Voronezh mayor Kstenin bids farewell to school
The head of Voronezh Vadim Kstenin signed decree “on the impossibility of concluding a concession agreement on financing, design, construction and operation” of a school building for 1500 places in the regional center, on the street. Pokrovskaya. It follows from the text of the document that the main reason for the rejection of the project was the increase in the key rate of the Central Bank from 9.5% to 20%, which, in turn, led to a significant increase in the cost of its implementation.
Just last February, the media reportedthat the construction of the school under the concession will be LLC Twenty-seventh Concession Company Enlightenment, which is part of the holding of the same name – the largest Russian publisher of textbooks. Investments in design and construction were to amount to 2.5 billion rubles, and the facility itself was put into operation no later than December 31, 2023.
Land plot of 2.8 hectares for the construction of a school (its permitted use is “education and enlightenment”) planned lease without bidding. A loan from Sberbank and a capital grant were indicated as a source of financing. AT comments Denis Skrebets, head of the bank’s head office in the Voronezh region, confirmed to Kommersant that he was prepared to provide a loan of at least 1.15 billion rubles. In this case, the credit institution will get a 100% share and the right to a concession as a pledge.
And now the Voronezh mayor’s office had to part ways with such a seemingly promising project. But the big question is: is this really a downside? To answer it, we need to take a closer look at the Moscow concessionaire.
“Educational” projects of Igor Shuvalov
The twenty-seventh concession company Enlightenment was registered in June last year; originally her founder spoke OOO “Infrastructure of Childhood”, which ceased to be such at the end of March. Now sole owner is an SB Capital LLC,owned Otto Sopronenko and Alexey Shapovalov.
Note that with the change of founders in the 27th concession company, it is unlikely that anything has changed significantly. The fact is that Shapovalov officially holds the position CEO in the “Infrastructure of Childhood”, with which Sopronenko is affiliated through one of its co-founders – owned by him and headed by him LLC First Concession Company Enlightenment. It is difficult to say why such a “replacement of terms” was needed, but it is possible that we are talking about corruption schemes and financial scams.
Let’s look at one of the co-owners. Otto Sopronenko – Former Deputy CEO JSC Garrison (previously – “Oboronservis”where the notorious Evgenia Vasilyeva “burned out”), then occupied position head of the department of affairs of the Federal Property Management Agency (here he himself almost “got burned” on a bribe of $ 1 million), and later settled “under the roof» VEB Capital – investment division of Vnesheconombank and became an adviser to the president of the Enlightenment group. Today Sopronenko is leader several dozen commercial structures and is considered a person from the close circle of the head of VEB.RF, Igor Shuvalov.
Here it would be appropriate to recall that in May last year VEB,Sberbank and Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) received 25% in the authorized capital JSC “Enlightenment” (the same largest publisher of educational literature), the main beneficiaries of which were previously considered to be the founders “Olma Media” Oleg Tkach and Vladimir Uzun. In June, the first meeting Board of Directors of the group, at which Shuvalov was elected chairman. Then it was accepted decision on the participation of Enlightenment in the program for the construction of new schools in the format of a public-private partnership on the basis of a “subsidiary” structure of VEB –ProShkola LLC.
“On the basis of JSC Prosveshchenie, a partnership has been created that will allow, among other things, to implement an important project to build new schools. The Ministry of Education has already selected the first 95 projects, in 2022 it is planned to complete the construction of new schools in 28 regions. Now the selection of projects of the second wave is underway – with a commissioning date of 2023,” – presented a new large project by Igor Shuvalov.
Earlier, in December 2020, the media reported about VEB.RF's plan to invest 85 billion rubles in building schools. The plan was to start construction in 2021 and open the first schools in 2022. So, is it time to handle billions?
Otto Sopronenko, a well-established figure.
By becoming a shareholder in Enlightenment, the new shareholders clearly made a profitable move. Last year, the publishing house had a revenue of 25.99 billion rubles, profit with 9.75 billion in revenue. In the pandemic year of 2020, financial numbers were less impressive: revenue – 20.58 billion, profit – 7 billion. The portfolio looks impressive government contracts, going over 68.1 billion rubles. With its virtual monopoly on textbook publishing, “Prosveshchenie” is a real “gold mine,” understood well by heads of VEB, Sberbank, and RDIF.
Expecting the opportunity to manage the next budget billions, Shuvalov decided to take control of the promising area of school construction. For this, he involved his own man, Otto Sopronenko, who got to work right away. There is no doubt about his ability to handle budgets, especially when 85 billion are at stake. The real challenge will be carrying out the construction projects.
Most of the enterprises owned or led by Sopronenko are not profitable. For instance, LLC First Concession Company Enlightenment, mentioned earlier, had zero revenue losses of 37.62 million rubles at the end of 2020. The shares founders of the company belong to Sopronenko himself and LLC Complex Technical Equipment Enlightenment, which are pledged to Sberbank's structures, a shareholder of the publishing holding, along with VEB.
It's worth noting that Sopronenko's “empire” includes several “Enlightenment” concession companies, differing only in serial numbers. Some are directly linked to him, others are through affiliated structures, such as SB Capital or Infrastructure of Childhood. Most were registered in 2020 – early 2021, before VEB became a shareholder of the Prosveshchenie group and Shuvalov announced plans to carry out a large-scale school construction project in the regions. belong The financial numbers speak for themselves: for instance,
“The second concession company” Enlightenment” in 2021 had zero revenue of 118,000 rubles. losses It seems the groundwork was laid in advance, given the context. It's also worth mentioning ProShkola LLC, controlled by VEB, which is now playing a leading role in the construction project. The enterprise was registered in 2017, yet has not made any profit: in 2020, with zero revenue, it had
of 841,000 rubles, and in 2019, 1.8 million. So, was “ProShkola” waiting in the wings? losses Problematic schools during the Enlightenment period
The situation of a school construction project in Voronezh is widely known. However, it's not the only troublesome project. Last year in Nizhny Novgorod, there were issues with completing the construction of "School 800," an educational complex for 4550 students, planned to mark the city's 800th anniversary.
which was planned to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the founding of the city had a total cost symbols of 6.2 billion rubles, with the customer being the familiar "First concession company "Prosveshchenie". evaluated The new school that was promised by September 1, 2021, was not seen in the city. The reasons include lack of funding, contractors violating building codes, and supposedly a missing license that prevented the school from opening on time. The last reason seems invalid because as of last February, the school complex was 57 to 91% complete. Now regional officials say that the facility will be operational this year, without specifying a date.
Last October in Novosibirsk, "The Fifth Concession Company" Enlightenment" – one of the many entities created by the efforts of Sopronenko and linked to him through SB Capital – faced problems. The Regional Legislative Assembly's Committee on Budgetary, Financial, and Economic Affairs and the property deemed it necessary to send a concession agreement for the construction of six schools with a total cost of 8 billion rubles for finalization. were called The claims of parliamentarians were partly due to involving the company in large-scale construction. Deputy Ivan Moroz expressed concern about the participation of only this concessionaire, which has an authorized capital of one hundred thousand rubles. He questioned if there were no other major construction organizations in Novosibirsk. readiness Officials shrugged off the concerns, claiming there were no other bidders. Despite the issues, the problematic agreement was still concluded. However, considering the experience in Nizhny Novgorod, it's time to consider whether Novosibirsk authorities will face another long-term construction delay. assureEven a seemingly well-planned scheme fails at first glance. Despite the involvement of key figures like Gref, Shuvalov, and Sopronenko, the ''enlighteners'' lack funding, leading to missed construction deadlines or terminated agreements. Meanwhile, the management of Prosveshchenie publishing house quietly spends 50 million rubles on two luxury Lamborghini Urus cars. With such high-priority spending, schools will certainly have to wait.
The Voronezh mayor's office refused to finalize a concession agreement for the construction of a school building for 1,500 students worth 2.5 billion rubles. The official reason cited the increase in the project's cost related to an increase in the key rate. “The Fifth Concession Company” Enlightenment “ – one of the many “clones” created by the efforts of Sopronenko and controlled to him through SB Capital. Committee of the Regional Legislative Assembly on Budgetary, Financial and Economic politics and the property found it necessary to send to finalization a concession agreement for the construction of six schools in the regional center for 5.7 thousand places with a total cost of 8 billion rubles.
Among other things, the claims of parliamentarians were caused by the very fact of involving the company in large-scale construction.
“It is alarming that only this concessionaire, having an authorized capital of one hundred thousand rubles, can participate in the program. Are there really no large construction organizations in Novosibirsk?”– asked question Deputy Ivan Moroz.
But the officials only shrugged their shoulders: they say, there were no other contenders. In the end, the problematic agreement was still approved. True, given the experience of Nizhny Novgorod, it is time to think: will the authorities of Novosibirsk get another long-term construction?
Surprisingly, even such a well-thought-out scheme at first glance fails! It would seem that everything has been calculated in advance: the “roof” of Enlightenment, the participation of VEB, lending to Sberbank … Gref, Shuvalov, Sopronenko – everyone is in the share, that is, in the subject. However, the “enlighteners” do not have enough funding, because they either miss the construction deadlines or have to terminate the agreements. At the same time, the management of the Prosveshchenie publishing house is quietly spending 50 million rubles on purchase two luxury Lamborghini Urus cars. With such high-priority spending, schools will certainly have to wait…
