According to a report by Sofia News Agency, Bulgaria has sold 80.57 per cent of Yuri Gagarin BT facility (Plovdiv) for cigarette packaging, filters and other non-tobacco materials.

Two auctions have been held, for the majority share package of the company’s 67 per cent and the minority package (13.57 per cent). The deals held through the Bulgarian Stock Exchange (BSE) amounted to BGN 27,606,541 (Euro 14 million) and BGN 4,827,989 (Euro 2.5 million).
Bulgaria's tobacco monopoly Bulgartabac offered for sale two of its factories at the beginning of July 2006. Earlier this year, after the privatisation programme for Bulgartabac was announced, Austrian company Mayr-Melnhof Karton declared its interest in purchasing Yuri Gagarin BT, which was initially meant to be sold by July. (vt)