Page 18 - bne_Tech_07_2020

NIBs
July 2020 www.intellinews.com I Page 18
The app was developed by the Kazakh National Information Technologies Agency (NITEC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance’s State Revenue Committee.
The KazAlcoTabak industry association estimates that around 40% of alcohol sold in Kazakhstan is counterfeit or illegal, according to the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The e-Sapa platform for alcohol was developed after Kazakhstan began using a similar method in 2018 to monitor the fossil fuel sector, covering all stages from oil refineries to petrol stations. This approach helps track the volume of oil products entered into the supply chain.
Russian watchdog approves consolidation
of Yandex.Market
Russia's Federal Anti-Monopoly Service
(FAS) watchdog has approved Yandex internet major's acquisition of Sberbank's stake in the e-commerce joint venture, Yandex.Market, Interfax reports.
As reported by bne IntelliNews, in the final divorce between Yandex and Sberbank, Yandex will
buy out the 45% stake in their Yandex.Market (e-commerce marketplace Beru) joint venture for RUB42bn ($590mn) (RUB87bn valuation) and will sell its stake in Yandex.Money (for RUB2.4bn).
"The approval opens the way to complete the divorce between Yandex and Sberbank," VTB Capital (VTBC) commented on July 8. The final split of joint assets between Yandex and Sberbank was previously seen as a rare win-win situation by the analysts.
"While generating value for equity investors from e-commerce exposure might take time (Yandex sees its e-commerce business breaking even
by the end of 2023), we continue to see the deal as strategically important for Yandex, as it could allow the company to leverage its strong long- term opportunities in e-commerce, locking in
the potential competition between search and e-commerce, and realising synergies within the Group," VTBC wrote.
Short-term catalysts for Yandex shares are seen coming from 2Q20 numbers (due in late July), the stock's potential inclusion into MSCI Russia in August and a potential deal to buy out Uber's stake in Yandex.Taxi joint venture.
In June the CFO of Yandex, Greg Abovsky, said that Yandex is interested in consolidating its taxi aggregation business Yandex.Taxi and buying out the stake of Uber Technologies in the joint venture. Notably, Abovksy said that a highly anticipated initial public offering (IPO) of Yandex. Taxi is currently not on the agenda.
Telekom Srbija reportedly enters second stage of tender for Kosovo’s IPKO
Telekom Srbija entered the second round
in the tender for the acquisition of Kosovo telecommunications company IPKO, according to Serbian media.
In June, media reported that Telekom Srbija placed the highest bid worth €155mn to acquire its Kosovan peer IPKO Telecommunications. Seven other candidates placed bids for IPKO, which is owned by Telekom Slovenije, Blic said.
Vladimir Lucic, coordinator for internet and multimedia of Telekom Srbija Group, was cited by Blic as saying that the company is extremely interested in this transaction.
"Our offer is not political but economic one, which is very important for us for the realization of our goal to become a telecommunications leader,” Lucic said.
Pristina mayor Shpend Ahmeti said that Telekom Srbija's bid for IPKO should be rejected for political reasons as a few years ago the bid by the Albanian Elvin Guri for Telenor Bank was blocked by Serbia’s central bank.