Page 18 - bne_Tech_04_2020

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April 2020 www.intellinews.com I Page 18
Russia’s Yandex.Taxi puts brake on major
Vezet deal
Yandex.Taxi, joint venture of Russian internet giant Yandex and Uber Technologies, called off the bid for acquiring the Vezet taxi call centre operator, without providing reasons and noting that the “interest in the company is maintained”, Reuters reported on March 31.
As reported by bne IntelliNews, Yadex snapped Vezet from its rival Mail.ru in 2019, in a major deal that included 3.6% equity and $71.5mn in cash. With market share of about 12% Vezet was seen as significantly strengthening Yandex.Taxi's position, especially in the regions.
It is not clear whether cancelling the deal is linked to outlook deterioration amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic and lockdown measures being introduced in Russia’s largest cities, or whether it will influence Yandex.Taxi's previous plans to hold an IPO.
As detailed by bne IntelliNews in an exclusive interview with Vezet management, the company managed to carve out a solid share in a cutthroat Russian taxi market, backed by Russia’s biggest fund UFG Private Equity as a key shareholder, along with Almaz Capital.
Vezet was established in 2017 by uniting Fasten Russia, Saturn, Red Taxi, RuTaxi, Lider and Vezet operators. The company works in over 100 cities in Russia, Kazakhstan and the Czech Republic, processing over 1mn orders a day. In 2017 the group had 12.3% of the Russian taxi market, which was larger than the 10.4% joint share of Yandex.Taxi and Uber prior to their merger of regional operations.
Makedonski Telekom donates Internet cards for 30,000 pupils to follow online lessons
North Macedonia’s telco Makedonski Telekom said on April 7 it will enable 30,000 pupils from families at social risk to follow online lessons via Internet.
Due to the outbreak of coronavirus, North Macedonia closed schools and universities since mid-March but the education ministry ordered teachers to hold online lessons.
"One of the biggest priorities in the state of emergency is the provision of unhindered education for the children. We have an obligation to not only provide a strong and stable Internet connection, but to also contribute to equal learning conditions for all children. The inclusion of the vulnerable categories in the digital world is a responsibility of everyone," Makedonski Telekom’s CEO Nikola Ljushev said in the statement.
More than 30,000 students in elementary
and secondary education of 18,400 socially endangered families will receive Internet cards with 10 gigabytes per month to access the internet that can be used only for the teaching programmes of the education ministry.
The mobile Internet cards will be distributed to children via the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy.
Russia allows online sales of medicine amid COVID-19
Russia has allowed online sales of medicine during epidemics and emergencies, the Russian Legal Information Agency reported on April 3 citing a bill signed by President of Russia Vladimir Putin and published on the official website of legal information.
As reported by bne IntelliNews, while retail activity crashed in the first week of the anti-coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown measures, e-commerce platforms and delivery services are seen as benefiting in the crisis.
Under the law, online sale and delivery of over- the-counter drugs and prescribed medicine except potent narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances will be available during epidemics