The head of the department, Anton Siluanov, announced 'large-scale privatization' at an expanded meeting of the Federal Property Management Agency. 'We will have a proposal for large-scale privatization. In our opinion, now is exactly the time when this issue could be put back on the agenda,' he said.
Siluanov noted that this year it is planned to receive 100 billion rubles in revenue from the 'sale' of assets that courts transfer to the state. Last year, privatization brought 132 billion rubles to the budget with a plan of 6 billion rubles.
The day before, a court in the Primorsky Krai transferred 100% of the shares of the company 'Dalpolimetall', one of the largest enterprises in the country for the extraction of lead and zinc ores, which are used for the production of ammunition and military equipment, to the state.
After the start of the war, the authorities began to actively privatize large assets with the help of courts. From 2022 to the beginning of 2024, more than 180 private enterprises were nationalized in this way, according to 'Novaya Gazeta Europe'* and 'Transparency International — Russia'**. Most often, the lawsuits involved enterprises of the military-industrial complex and mechanical engineering, companies in the food and fish industries, ports, and real estate. This mainly concerns the property of businessmen residing abroad.
The desire for 'large-scale privatization' is explained by the fact that in the first two months, the budget deficit exceeded the plan for the entire year by two times, amounting to 2.7 trillion rubles, or 1.3% of GDP. More than 8 trillion rubles were spent in January-February. The Ministry of Finance explained this by the prepayment of state orders, promised to spend less in the following months, and to fit into the annual plan or not significantly disrupt it. In addition, as a result of the seizure of businesses from 'unreliable' owners, the state became the owner of many assets, which it is unlikely to manage.
* Recognized in Russia as a 'foreign agent' and 'undesirable' organization.
** Recognized in Russia as an 'undesirable' organization.