PRESS: Rostelecom said in talks to get controlling stake in Tele2

MOSCOW, Sep 7 (PRIME) -- Russian state telecom operator Rostelecom is negotiating a rise of its 45% share in mobile operator T2 RTK Holding, working under the Tele2 brand, to a controlling stake with the other owners, business daily Vedomosti reported on Friday, quoting several sources close to the companies.

An unnamed government official also knows about the talks between Rostelecom and the Federal State Property Management Agency and about a possible payment with quasi-treasury shares.

A source close to one of T2 RTK Holding’s shareholders said Rostelecom plans to get control in the mobile operator or even more, and talks are well under way.

Several people said the deal could be closed by December.

The remaining 55% stake in T2 RTK Holding belongs to a consortium of VTB Bank, Bank Rossiya, insurance group Sogaz, and businessman Alexei Mordashov.

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