Director vs Shareholders Disputes in Belarus
Our clients
Director and Shareholder Conflicts in Belarus
The relationship between the director and the participants of a Belarusian company works well when interests are aligned – but when it breaks down, the consequences can be severe. A director who acts in their own interests rather than the company’s can cause significant financial damage before participants are able to remove them. And a director who is wrongfully removed has legal remedies that can be costly for the company.
For foreign participants whose Belarusian director has gone rogue – entering into unauthorised transactions, misappropriating company funds, or simply refusing to cooperate with the owners – the situation is particularly difficult. The director controls day-to-day operations, has access to bank accounts, and may use their position to obstruct the participants’ ability to act.
AMBY Legal represents both participants pursuing claims against directors and directors defending against removal or liability claims – with a specific focus on cases involving foreign participants in Belarusian companies.
Director’s Authority and Its Limits
The director of a Belarusian LLC is the sole executive body – they act on behalf of the company without a power of attorney within the limits set by the charter and the law. Understanding these limits is essential in any director-shareholder dispute.
The charter can restrict the director’s authority – limiting the value of transactions they can approve without participant consent, prohibiting certain categories of transactions, or requiring specific approvals for key decisions. A director who exceeds their authority – entering into transactions above the charter threshold without participant approval – acts in breach of their obligations to the company.
Major transactions – those involving assets worth more than 25% of the company’s balance sheet – require approval by a two-thirds majority of participants. Transactions involving more than 50% require unanimous approval. A director who enters into a major transaction without the required approval exposes both themselves and the counterparty to the risk of the transaction being declared invalid.
Interested party transactions – transactions in which the director or a participant has a personal interest – require disclosure and approval by disinterested participants. A director who fails to disclose an interest and proceeds with the transaction is in breach of Belarusian corporate law.
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Director Misconduct – What It Looks Like
Director misconduct in Belarusian companies takes several common forms that we see regularly.
Unauthorised transactions: The director enters into contracts or makes payments that exceed their authority under the charter – approving major transactions without participant consent, making loans to related parties, or transferring company assets to entities they control.
Related party transactions without disclosure: The director enters into transactions with companies they own or control – at above-market prices or on terms that benefit themselves at the company’s expense – without disclosing the conflict of interest.
Refusal to provide information: The director refuses to provide participants with access to the company’s financial statements, contracts or accounting records. This is a violation of participants’ rights and grounds for a court order compelling disclosure.
Obstruction of general meetings: The director fails to convene a general meeting when required, fails to notify participants of meetings, or takes actions to frustrate the participants’ ability to exercise their governance rights.
Misappropriation: The director uses company funds for personal expenses, makes payments to themselves beyond their authorised remuneration, or systematically extracts value from the company through related party transactions.
Our services
Director liability claims
Information access
Challenge to director decisions
Interim measures
Director defence
Interim Measures in Director Disputes
Where a director dispute involves an active risk of asset dissipation – a director who is removing funds or entering into damaging transactions before they can be stopped – interim measures are essential. We apply for urgent interim measures to freeze company accounts, restrict the director’s ability to enter into transactions and preserve the company’s assets pending the outcome of the dispute.
Why Clients choose us
Foreign participant focus
Speed
Both sides
Remote representation
English-speaking
FAQ
Yes. The director of a Belarusian LLC can be removed by decision of the general meeting at any time – with or without cause. The required majority is set by the charter – typically a simple majority. The director is entitled to any contractually agreed termination compensation and all accrued unpaid remuneration.
If the director’s shareholding gives them blocking power over the removal decision, the participants may need to pursue alternative routes – exclusion of the director-participant for breach of obligations, or amendment of the charter to change the required majority for director removal. We advise on the available options for each specific situation.
Yes – if the director caused losses through misconduct, the company can bring a claim for damages against the former director personally. The claim is brought by the company following a decision of the participants. The limitation period is three years from the date the company learned of the loss.
The economic court can freeze company bank accounts, restrict the director’s ability to enter into new transactions on behalf of the company, and impose other measures to preserve the company’s assets pending the outcome of the dispute. We apply for interim measures immediately where there is an active risk of damage.
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