Duma To Consider Bill On Privatization On November 22

The State Duma will consider the bill on privatization of state and municipal property on the second reading on November 22, Viktor Pleskachevsky, chairman of the Duma property committee, announced at a meeting with journalists today. This bill was introduced by the government and approved on the first reading in summer 2001. The Duma official noted that the privatization of strategically important facilities would be conducted after an approval from the Russian President and privatization of natural monopolies should be approved by the State Duma first. He also noted that the property committee received about 500 amendments to the draft and it will start working on them on October 29.