MOSCOW, May 17. /TASS/. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has permitted privatization of a 50% stake of the government in Bashneft oil company excluding it from the list of strategic companies. The relevant decree of the head of the state has been published on the website of the legal information on Tuesday.

The document has come into effect on May 16, 2016.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the decision to sell stakes in Rosneft, Bashneft, VTB, Alrosa and Sovcomflot in January.

Earlier it was reported that the Russian government was considering three options for privatization of Bashneft - the sale of a 25% stake, of a 50% package and, together with a stake of Russia’s republic of Bashkiria - 75%.

In April, First Deputy Energy Minister Alexey Teksler told TASS that the only possible way of privatization is selling 50% of Bashneft shares.

Bashneft is operating in more than 20 Russian regions and overseas. The Russian Property Management Agency holds 50% + 1 share in the company. 25% plus one share in Bashneft belong to Bashkiria.