OREANDA-NEWS  The Russian authorities have not agreed on the sale of the main asset of the Austrian Mondi in Russia — Syktyvkar Timber Industry Complex (LPC) in Komi — the structure of the co-owner of "Pharmstandard" Viktor Kharitonin for 95 billion rubles (or about € 1.5 billion). This was told to RBC by one of the applicants for the asset and confirmed by a source in the government. The fact that the deal announced in August 2022 has not yet taken place is also known by the top manager of one of the largest Russian timber companies.

According to a government official, the deal was rejected by the Federal Antimonopoly Service, where Kharitonin's structures applied for permission. Another source says that the government commission for monitoring the implementation of foreign investments did not give its approval due to its inconsistency with the approaches to the sale of assets of international companies in Russia as part of the termination of work.

The Mondi press service recalled that the condition for the sale of Syktyvkar LPC to the Kharitonin structure is the approval of the Russian government's commission for foreign Investment control and antimonopoly authorities. "The process of obtaining these permits is still ongoing," they added. The company previously said it expects to close the deal by the end of 2022, but due to the changing political and regulatory environment, "there can be no certainty about when it will be completed."