Is Putin's tycoon buying Simpo?

Moscow-based Delo, whose owner Sergey N. Shyshkaryov was recently presented to the Serbian government as possible buyer of the state-owned stake in Simpo, has never been engaged in furniture production, the daily Vranjske reports.

According to this newspaper, Shyshkaryov, who was a Russian marine for a long time, holds the rank of colonel in the reserves. In 2001, he earned his Ph.D. degree with his work "French Police System." Since 1993, he has been managing one of Russia's largest companies in the transportation industry - Delo Grupa.

He is also a member of the Russian government's Military and Industrial Committee and the president of the political council of the Rodina party. As Vranjske writes, it is clear that Simpo can be a part of some broader deal with Russia "because Shyshkaryov is one of Putin's tycoons who will buy the furniture factory in Vranje without question if told so, even despite the economic logics."