Inteko, the construction company owned by billionaire wife of sacked Moscow mayor Yury Luzhkov, has dismissed reports that it faces difficult times due to negative publications in the Russian media.
"All our projects are being implemented according to schedule... Our partners did not notify us of any withdrawals from joint projects with Inteko," Inteko Spokesman Gennady Terebkov said in a statement.
Before he was fired, Luzhkov was subject to widespread public criticism for using his position to help his wife Yelena Baturina amass her $2.9-billion wealth through construction contracts in the Russian capital.
Experts told Russia's Vedomosti business daily on Wednesday that Inteko may find that business is not so easy following the mayor's dismissal as the company probably managed to find routes around Russia's notorious bureaucracy through Baturina's connection with Luzhkov.
Inteko's spokesman said the company always acted "solely within the framework of the current legislation."
"Therefore, if any watchdog or investigative authority makes a request, we will be glad to provide them with all the information they need and to assist in speeding up all probes to put an end to these false and clearly groundless suspicions, initiated by various 'experts' in the media," he said.
Terebkov expressed concern over "hysteria provoked by certain media and 'experts,' who disseminate doubtful assumptions and speculation."
Inteko currently has 32 development projects, mostly concentrated in Moscow, according to the company website. Baturina has proposed constructing house building factories and large-scale housing projects in 35 Russian regions in partnership with Russia's state development bank, Vnesheconombank.
MOSCOW, September 30 (RIA Novosti)
