Kazakhstan received $44.8 mln from privatization in January-April of 2000

/IRBIS, June 19, 00/ - REUTERS informs, with the reference to statistics agency, that Kazakhstan received KZT6.4 bln ($44.8 mln) from privatization in January-April of 2000. Of this number KZT6.1 bln was received by the national budget, and KZT0.3 bln by local budget, is said. Most of the money, i.e. 92.6% came from the installment sales of industrial enterprises by individual projects, which were held in previous years. The amount of money from these sales equaled KZT6.087 bln ($42.5 mln). During January-April, 2000 state property and privatization committee privatized 599 objects, with the majority of them being the enterprises of social sphere, is said. It is said that in the country beginning price of the state block is 4.6 times less than its purchase price, including in the industry - 5.6 times. The agency informs that in four months state blocks of 19 JSC were sold for a total of KZT114.7 mln under "mass privatization" program. The average price equaled KZT7.6 mln. Most of the blocks were sold at open auctions and the smallest number at investment contests, is said. The minister of finance of Kazakhstan believes that privatization is lagging behind the schedule due to uncertainties with "blue chips" program. Only the sales of state blocks of Kazakhtelecom and Mangistaumunaigas are considered real. This year Kazakhstan plans to receive as much as it received last year, i.e. $400 mln, informs the agency.