13.12.2005
RIA "Novosti"
Russian government assumes that the stake of Slovak company Transpetrol must go to company RussNeft, informed Chief Secretary of RF Trade and Economic Development Ministry Andrey Sharonov.
The government of Slovakia is going to pick up a new owner for the 49% stake of the Slovak national oil transport company presently possessed by Yukos. To do this a contest is to be held.
Earlier mass media informed that Yukos intended to sell out this stake.
“Our official stand is such if the contest is to take place, the Russian government is going to back up RussNeft,” Sharonov said to reporters.
According to him, Head of the Economic Development Ministry Gernam Greff has sent a letter to the government of Slovakia informing that Russia backs up Russneft having applied for the participation in the contest.
Sharonov explained, though the owner of Transpetrol is Yukos, “the Slovak government keeps the right to approve or pick up a company that will become a new owner”.
According to him, admission of applications for acquiring Transpetrol stake is already closed, and out of Russia’s companies only RussNeft has applied. Earlier Tatneft and Rosneft announced their intention to acquire the stake; however they have not applied, clarified Sharonov. He pointed out, that first-rate foreign companies are going to take part in the contest, Italian ENEL being one of them.
