OREANDA-NEWS. December 23, 2011. A new tender will be announced to sell Mobile TeleSystems (MTS), Vice Premier of Belarus Anatoly Kalinin told mass media in the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus on 21 December.

“There were three offers but no competitive bidding. Therefore a new tender will be announced. The sale of MTS will continue,” remarked Anatoly Kalinin. He did not specify the names of the bidders.

Speaking about the possibility of reducing the price for MTS shares, the Vice Premier could not provide any definite answer. “I think it is incorrect to reduce the price after a second attempt,” he said. The auction will continue, he stressed.

Asked why the tender failed, Anatoly Kalinin said there had been different reasons, including inadequate price offers and incomplete documentation.

He reminded that the value of the state-owned share in MTS had been estimated at USD 1 billion and international experts had confirmed it. “As good sellers we insist on this price. There are no offers for now,” he said.

The Belarusian-Russian limited liability company Mobile TeleSystems has been providing GSM 900/1800 cellular communication services since 2002 and UMTS standard services since 2010. The founders are Beltelecom (51% of the authorized fund) and the Russian company OAO Mobile TeleSystems.

Belarus will refrain from selling big companies for the time being, Vice Premier of Belarus Anatoly Kalinin told reporters on 21 December.

The assets slated for sale are specified in the privatization plan. The current economic circumstances are adverse to privatization, the Vice Premier underlined. In his words, the price for the assets will rise as the global economy will recover from crisis. The head of state ordered to temporarily refrain from selling major companies and wait until their price increase.