He said the unions would also oppose the Government's plans to let the banks organize the privatization deals.

The next big privatization deals involve the country's utilities.

He did not discuss his own privatization deals.

The price exceeded analyst predictions of $3 billion, making it the largest privatization deal in the former Soviet Union.

Then came new owners, who, as was common during Russia's murky privatization deals, acquired much of the firm through processes that are not publicly known.

Later that year, Sabia said he would leave Bell after the privatization deal was finalized.

By December 2008, following the collapse of the debt market, the privatization deal fell apart.

The airports will be leased to the successful bidders as part of the privatization deal.

The union has wide support in the parliament's finance committee, which must approve any privatization deal.

"We're not going to make a decision in a vacuum," he said of the possible privatization deal.