UPDATE: VTB, 6 key companies’ CEOs to meet with Putin on privatization

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MOSCOW, Feb 1 (PRIME) -- The CEO of banking group VTB, oil major Rosneft, oil company Bashneft, flagship airline Aeroflot, uncut diamond mining giant ALROSA and shipping company Sovcomflot were invited for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss privatization on Monday, according to a document seen by PRIME.

Spokesman for the president Dmitry Peskov said earlier that Putin will discuss privatization of some companies at a meeting with the government.

“It is hard to say, I cannot forecast whether any final decisions will be made, but I can assume with a high degree of certainty that the discussion will cover concrete companies,” Peskov said.

Business daily Vedomosti reported earlier on Monday that Putin can approve sale of stakes in Rosneft, Aeroflot, oil pipeline monopoly Transneft, telecom operator Rostelecom and Sovcomflot. The government is willing to sell the companies because the budget needs money badly, a source cited by the daily said.

Apart from the CEOs, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, presidential aide Andrei Belousov, First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov, Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, Economic Development Minister Alexei Ulyukayev and Director of the Federal State Property Management Agency Olga Dergunova will participate in the meeting, according to the invitation.

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