Min to see sale of 3 large Russian state assets in 2016 as success
BRATISLAVA, May 24 (PRIME) -- It would be a success if Russia privatizes at least three out of five large state assets – uncut diamond mining giant ALROSA, VTB Bank, shipping company Sovcomflot, oil companies Rosneft and Bashneft – in 2016, Economic Development Minister Alexei Ulyukayev told reporters Monday.
“I would like us to sell at least one asset in the first half of the year. And I would view it as a success if we (sell), say, three assets until the end of the year,” he said.
Ulyukayev said that a 10.9% stake in ALROSA may be sold on the Moscow Exchange until the end of June, and did not rule out that future placements of ALROSA’s shares could take place on foreign floors, including Asian ones.
“It may happen with future placements, future packages. Still, we want to place the 10.9% stake, which we have a right to offer to the market under the presidential decree, on the Moscow Exchange. We are ready for that,” he said.
As for VTB Bank and Bashneft, there are windows for their privatization in September–November, he said. “But this is a subtle issue, as VTB is under restrictions due to the sanction regime. Though these restrictions do not cover sales of issued shares, you know that investors are afraid of these risks. This is a precise work. I am not ready to say how this will end,” he said.
No new bids were filed for Bashneft, he added. “We had two written petitions from Tatneftegaz and Independent Oil and Gas Company, and had one verbal petition from Lukoil. This is what we are working with,” Ulyukayev said.
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