MOSCOW, June 6 (RIA Novosti) - Parliament may pass a bill essential for the privatization of telecommunications giant Svyazinvest in the next six weeks, Russia's information technologies minister said Tuesday.
The bill sets out how the rights of the military and security services will be protected - something that the Security Council has insisted on - if the privatization goes through.
"The bill is currently in the State Duma [parliament's lower house]," Leonid Reiman said. "I spoke with deputies and they promised it would be adopted at the spring session."
The session ends on July 16.
Reiman reiterated that Svyazinvest's privatization would have a positive impact on the market.
"I would be happy if Svyazinvest's privatization were accelerated," he said. "This will be a positive decision for the market on the whole and Svyazinvest in particular."
The Russian Federal Property Fund holds 25% minus two shares in Svyazinvest, whereas 50% plus one share belongs to the Federal Property Management Agency and the remaining block is held by Cyprus-based Mustcom Ltd.
Svyazinvest controls 51% in Rostelecom, Russia's largest long-distance telecom services provider (RTS:RTKM), and has a minority interest (28%) in Moscow City Telephone Network (RTS:MGTS).
