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Valuation of Minsk Wheeled Tractor Plant will be made by independent audit firm, Council of Ministers press office says

 

The value of Minsk Wheeled Tractor Plant (MZKT) will be measured by an independent audit firm, the press office of the Council of Ministers reported on Friday.

According to the press office, Belarus and Russia currently discuss five possible “investment projects,” including a link-up between MZKT and Rostec, a state-owned industrial and defense conglomerate formerly known as Russian Technologies.

The working group that was established to explore the issue will continue its work on the basis of this valuation, the press office said.

On July 4, Russia's RBK-Daily reported with reference to Rostec Director General Sergei Chemezov that Belarus' State Property Committee had proposed that Rostec should buy 75 percent minus one share of MZKT.

Rostec reportedly would like to acquire control of MZKT for $31 million, while Belarus wants it to pay four times the amount.

According to RBK daily, Rostec’s trump card in the talks is the fact that it owns 49.9 percent of KamAZ, which plans to start manufacturing military trucks similar to those built by MZKT in 2016.

In particular, MZKT manufactures missile vehicles (transporter erector launchers), including the 8-axle MZKT-79221 for the Topol-M missile and vehicles used to transport Tor and other surface-to-air missile systems, Iskander ballistic missiles, and radars for the S-300 missile system.

Ninety percent of the company’s output is exported to Russia. //BelaPAN