Kremlin aide clarifies differences in privatisation plans

MOSCOW, April 21 (Itar-Tass) --The list of enterprises and companies
subject to privatisation that will be drawn up by he Kremlin will
determine deadlines and shares to sell clearer than the list proposed by
the Ministry of Economic Development, Russian presidential aide Arkady
Dvorkovich said.
"The list from the presidential administration will most likely be a
quarterly one but will remain flexible as there is always the current
situation on the market to take into account," he said.
Another difference between the two lists is that the Kremlin suggests
privatising only large packages of shares, the aide explained.
Meanwhile, the Russian government said it might postpone the sale of
its share in the Sberbank saving bank.
Minister of Economic Development Elvira Nabiullina said the government
might determine the parameters of the sale in the next several months.
"There are many questions about when to privatise and how. We will clarify
this in the next couple of months," she said, adding, "We have to look at
the market and our readiness."
Nabiullina made it clear that government was not considering selling
its 7.58 percent stake in the bank in two stages. "We do not plan to split
up the package," she said.
"And it's not quite clear as yet whether it should be sold on the
market or to a strategic investor," the minister said.
Russia will continue to privatise state-owned banks after 2015, Vice
Prime Minister and Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin said earlier.
According to the privatisation plans, the government intends to reduce
its share in Sberbank, VTB and Rosselkhozbank to 50 percent plus one share
before 2013.
"But plan further privatisation of these banks after those three
years," Kudrin said.
According to Kudrin, foreign investors are showing interest in the
Russian privatisation programme that involves the sale of shares in
leading international companies, such as Sberbank, VTB, Rosneft,
Sovkomflot, etc.
"There will be interest. We think it will be much higher than the
amount of assets we will offer," Kudrin said earlier.