-Russia's government is planning to sell its 13.8% stake in Inter RAO
UES (IRAO.RS) energy group and a 7% stake in diamond miner Alrosa
(ROSA.RS) by the end of 2013, cutting its share in other major companies
by 2015, the economy ministry said on its website Thursday.
The government scaled back its program of privatizing
state-controlled companies in June to 180 billion rubles ($5.44 billion)
over the next three years from last year's target of $34 billion by the
end of 2014.
The amended plan should affect some of Russia's largest
companies. Controlling stakes in oil company OAO Rosneft (ROSN.RS) and
VTB (VTBR.RS), one of the country's largest banks, will remain in
government hands.
Now the State Property Agency is planning to sell 25% minus
one share in shipping company Sovkomflot, 5% in the monopoly Russian
Railways (RR.YY) and a 53% stake in telecoms operator Rostelecom
(RTKM.RS).
By the end of 2015, the government is also planning to sell a
3.1% stake in oil pipeline monopoly Transneft (TRNFP.RS) and a 11% stake
in VTB.