Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Tuesday offered auto alliance Renault-Nissan a chance to buy a controlling stake in Russian carmaker AvtoVAZ, Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn said, the RIA-Novosti news agency reported. "The prime minister said he is not against increasing Renault-Nissan's stake in AvtoVAZ, and it could be increased up to 50 percent," Ghosn was quoted as saying after a meeting with Putin in comments translated into Russian.
The auto alliance currently controls 25 percent plus one share in the Russian carmaker. Stakes of the same size are held by Russian investment group Troika Dialog and the state corporation Russian Technologies. Ghosn did not elaborate on the offer. However Troika Dialog managing director Sergei Skvortsov told journalists that Renault-Nissan could increase its stake up to 50 percent plus one share.