The Ministry of Finance is not considering the privatization of Sberbank – Kommersant

The list of companies for privatization prepared by the Ministry of Finance does not include Sberbank (MOEX: SBER), said the head of the department, Anton Siluanov. According to him, the possibility of reducing state participation in banks where the state share exceeds the controlling stake is being considered.

“Today the Savings Bank is our main bank, the largest. The state’s share there is 50% plus (one share). Therefore, to tell the truth, we did not propose to reduce this share, the share of state participation. There are other banks in which the state owns more than a controlling stake. Our proposal was aimed at such banks,” the minister explained in an interview with Rossiya 24.

He clarified that the Ministry of Finance plans to make decisions on privatization in 2024. “In any case, this is what we agreed with our government colleagues,” the minister added.

Last week, the head of Sberbank German Gref statedthat the bank can be privatized because it is a very attractive asset. In his opinion, the privatization of 25% of Sberbank could increase the investment attractiveness of the Russian market.

In October Anton Siluanov reportedthat the Ministry of Finance has compiled a list of companies that can additionally be included in the list for privatization in the next three years. Minister clarifiedthat it is proposed to consider the privatization of individual assets without loss of control by the state. In December the Ministry of Finance contributed to the government a list of 30 companies.

Laura Keffer