• Good Wine retailer accuses SBU of soliciting bribe
    http://www.kyivpost.com/content/business/good-wine-alcohol-retailer-blames-sbu-for-bribe-solicitation-361069.html


    The SBU blocks the work of Good Wine. We would rather close the store than pay a bribe,” reads a billboard placed outside a Good Wine store in Kyiv’s Pechersk neighborhood on Aug. 18.
    © www.facebook.com/mariya.oleynik

    Alcohol retailer Bureau of Wines, a major importer of alcohol that operates three Good Wine stores in Kyiv and Donetsk, is accusing the Security Service of #Ukraine (SBU) of pursuing false tax evasion charges in order to solicit a bribe.
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    In particular, the punishment forces the wine retailer to obtain a license for each foreign transaction individually. Currently, the company operates under a single license.

    We have around 140 deals every month. Getting individual licenses for each is simply impossible,” said Maria Oleynik, marketing director of Bureau of Wines, adding the retailer sells one third of all imported alcohol in Kyiv.

    The sanctions were levied at the behest of the SBU, according to the Economy Ministry. Moreover, the company says that the security agency encouraged it to “solve the problem in person with SBU officers,” which it considers to be “a sign of #corruption,” reads the company’s statement.
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    Good Wine not alone
    Alcohol beverage retailers Vinfort in Odessa, Arda-Trading, Bayadera-Import and Akvavit also face similar sanctions that also will go into effect on Sept. 4, the Kyiv Post has learned. Vinfort is challenging the allegations and the first court hearing is scheduled for Aug. 19.