UPDATE2: Russian antitrust gets Rosneft bid for 100% in Bashneft

(Adds comments by Bashkortostan in last two paragraphs)

MOSCOW, Oct 28 (PRIME) -- Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service has received a bid of oil major Rosneft to increase its stake in oil company Bashneft to 100%, Deputy Director Anatoly Golomolzin told reporters Friday.

“Just a few days ago… (The bid) will most likely be considered within a month,” he said.

Earlier in October, Rosneft purchased the government’s 50.0755% stake in Bashneft for 329.7 billion rubles.

A Rosneft representative told PRIME the company “has applied to the Federal Antimonopoly Service to buy 100% in Bashneft, because this automatically gives a right to buy any smaller stake.” The company declined to comment whether it plans to make a mandatory buyout offer to Bashneft’s minority shareholders.

A spokesperson for Rustem Khamitov, head of the republic of Bashkortostan, which holds a 25% stake in Bashneft, said the republic was not holding any talks with Rosneft over selling its stake in the firm.

“At present, Bashkortostan is not holding any talks with Rosneft over selling the republic’s stake.”

(63.0399 rubles – U.S. $1)

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