OREANDA-NEWS. On February 06, 2007 the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers has endorsed a plan for accommodation of shares of Ukrtelecom (78,5% of the market), in keeping with which 25%+1 share will remain in the state ownership, and 67,79% will be offered for tenders with auction elements, reported the Official website www.kmu.gov.ua.

Dmytro Parfenenko, State Property Fund deputy chairman, says that the tender may be invited in March the earliest.

Among the probable local investors, beside System Capital Management, there is also Privat Group. Its participation largely depends on the difference between the nominal price of the company, its starting and sale prices.

Oleh Stefaniuk, director of the Datagroup telecommunications company's department for strategic network development, says that the price, at which the Cabinet of Ministers is offering Ukrtelecom (USD 635 million for 67,79% of the shares), is much lower than the state should demand for the controlling interest in a major communications operator. The market value of this stake, under Tuesday's results of the PFTS bidding, is USD 2,6 billion.

As reported, Austria's national operator Telekom Austria is considering prospects for the purchase of OJSC Ukrtelecom.