Hungarian Finance Minister Péter Oszkó held talks with Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov.

The Hungarian party indicated willingness to undertake a role as owner in or as money-lender to the national airlines to help the company to continue its operations. The Russian Government welcomed this position on the Hungarian side.

The parties will hold further consultations as far as necessary measures are concerned, the Hungarian ministry said.

Russian state-owned bank Vnesheconombank (VEB) holds a 49% stake in Malév parent company AirBridge Zrt. VEB acquired the stake, according to unconfirmed press reports, after its owner, Russian airline tycoon Boris Abramovich, defaulted on a loan from the bank. AirBridge's other, 51.%, owner is Hungarian private individual, Magdolna Kolto. Airbridge has 99.95% in Malév and the rest is owned by minor shareholders.

Shareholders of Malév failed to take a decision on a capital raise at a general meeting at the end of September. Asked by MTI earlier - in late August - about a report the Hungarian and the Russian states planned to inject about €150 million into Malév, Finance Ministry spokesman Ferenc Pichler acknowledged that representatives of the Hungarian and Russian governments were in talks. (MTI-Econews)