MOSCOW. Jan 15 (Interfax) - Former Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said at a session of Moscow's Presnensky Court on Thursday that only unnecessary enterprises had been sold during his tenure as the country's defense minister.
"Consultations were held. A large number of enterprises were not needed," he said.
Most of these companies, including repair enterprises, were on the verge of bankruptcy, the ex-minister said.
Privatization was launched because "we were trying to save these enterprises from bankruptcy", he said.
At the beginning, the ministry did not have any list of enterprises that should be sold or privatized, Serdyukov said.
"I gave instructions to fine-tune my proposals. Afterwards, consultations were held, at which these facilities were confirmed," he said.
The decision to reduce the ministry's ineffective spending was agreed upon with the Russian president in the second half of 2007, he added.
Serdyukov served as Russia's defense minister when a criminal investigation was opened into the sale of real estate and the embezzlement of funds belonging to JSC Oboronservice, controlled by the Defense Ministry.