Raiffeisen Bank International will step up steps to transfer its Russian division to shareholders.
The Austrian group Raiffeisen Bank International, after several months of searching for a third-party buyer, was inclined to transfer the Russian “daughter” of Raiffeisen to its own shareholders.
The Austrian authorities agree with such a scheme, but it may encounter obstacles from the European Central Bank (ECB) and the United States. As one of the sources explained, Washington fears that it will not be able to check the organization for money laundering.
If the scheme is approved, then RBI shareholders will receive shares in a new company registered in Vienna. This company will be given the Russian business. However, it is not clear how independent it will be from the RBI, because if the degree of independence is high enough, then new business will not fall under the direct supervision of the ECB.