Yuliana Sokolenko said the valuation results will be presented to the Federal Agency for the Management of Federal Property and the Information Technologies Ministry for consideration and endorsement, but refused to speculate on the possible price-tag for the stake.
"At this stage, we are not in a position to comment on the valuation or the price," she said.
After the valuation, the Information Technologies Ministry, the Federal Property Agency, and the Economic Development and Trade Ministry will make recommendations on selling the stake.
MGTS is one of the largest fixed line operators in Russia, with installed capacity of about 4.4 million telephone numbers. The company's share of the Moscow fixed line telecoms market is about 80%.
A government source said Wednesday that the government will sell its MGTS stake at a price higher than that previously offered by Comstar United Telesystems telecoms holding. Earlier reports said the government was likely to allow Svyazinvest to sell its minority stake in the Moscow fixed-line phone monopoly, if Comstar UTS announced a third bid.
Svyazinvest holds 28% of MGTS' voting shares. Comstar UTS, which holds 63.65% of MGTS' common stock, has twice tendered to buy the Svyazinvest stake at 490 rubles ($18.35) per share. However, the Russian government failed to reach a decision on the sale before the deadline for the last tender on May 17.
Comstar Director General Semyon Rabovsky previously said the company did not plan to launch a third tender for the stake, but that the issue could be resolved through negotiations.
