GLASGOW (AFP) - Controversial Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov has denied comments attributed to him claiming that Glasgow giants Rangers and Celtic "buy off" players and referees in Scotland.

Romanov´s reported claims were made in Russian magazine Futbol and reprinted by Scottish tabloid, the Daily Record.

According to the Record´s translation of the interview, Romanov said: "Celtic and Rangers? Even (Lithuania´s) Kaunas are a match for them on the pitch.

"They have turned football into a type of showbusiness with their underhand games. They buy off players and referees. When it comes to weaker teams then nobody can help.

"But if two opponents are equally matched then the referees can have a real influence on the outcome."

However, in a statement issued Thursday on the Hearts website, Lithuanian businessman Romanov said: "It´s a pity that papers are not able to get an interview from me direct.

"Thank God I haven´t come across any corruption in Scotland."

Hearts transferred Steven Pressley and Paul Hartley to Celtic in the January transfer window after the two players, along with goalkeeper Craig Gordon, had publicly revealed "significant dressing room unrest" at the club in October.

And in a reference to Celtic, who play in green-and-white hooped shirts, Romanov added: "To my mind, there are no values in this life that are worth betrayal, even if we´re talking about hooped shirts. If kids are being pushed towards betrayal, I call it seduction - but seduction of their souls."

Ronmanov also turned his anger on former Hearts player Andy Webster. The Scotland defender fell out with the Edinburgh club´s majority shareholder last year and cut short his contract at Tynecastle on the understanding he wouldn´t play for another team in Scotland.

Webster subsequently joined English Premiership side Wigan but last month was loaned to Rangers.

"Let´s see where it (seduction) led in Webster´s case: he hung around in different clubs and didn´t play for the Scottish national team for a whole year."

Romanov then went on to praise Edinburgh and the work of 19th century Edinburgh-born author Sir Walter Scott but warned the Scottish capital was in danger from "monkeys from the safari park".

"Edinburgh is an amazing city. I´m so impressed with the genius of those who created it. It fascinates and captivates you immediately.

"Its beauty was created during the times of the kings of old and now I see that everything that people were gathering for centuries - a culture, all Walter Scott´s heritage, is being ruled and destroyed by monkeys from the safari park," the Hearts owner explained.

As if to reinforce his point, underneath the statement was a photograph of a chimpanzee with the word ´Media´ emblazoned on its chest.

Below the picture ran the caption: "Monkey the Englightener/An enemy of talent/ A teacher of mediocrity."

Earlier, Celtic chairman Brian Quinn dismissed Romanov´s reported allegations.

"I think it is absurd, absolutely ridiculous," he said before adding that he would be taking legal advice on whether Romanov´s comments were slanderous.

Quinn also expects the Scottish Football Association to bring fresh disrepute charges against Romanov, who is already embroiled in a legal dispute with the governing body over a fine imposed on him last year for an outburst about Scots referees.