Putin gives instructions to make decisions on managing state-owned companies' credit portfolio, avoid their excessive indebtedness

MOSCOW. Dec 4 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for attention to be focused on state-owned companies' debt burden and for decisions to be made regarding the management of their credit portfolios.

"We have been constantly discussing this with colleagues lately. It [the debt burden of state-owned companies] has noticeably increased recently," Putin said at VTB's Russia Calls forum.

"Of course, we need to take into account the scale of state corporations' investment programs, as well as the social functions they perform," he said.

Putin said he had instructed the government in collaboration with the Central Bank of Russia to make decisions regarding the management of state-owned companies' credit portfolios. "This should be done in such a way that we do not allow an excessive debt burden or imbalances in the corporate lending market as a whole, to the detriment of other sectors, companies or enterprises," Putin said.