RIGA, March 26 (RIA Novosti) - A 49% stake in Latvia's oil transit handling company Ventspils nafta could be sold to a Russian energy firm, a Latvian newspaper said Monday.

The newspaper Neatkariga did not specify which of the Russian companies could buy the stake in Ventspils nafta, which is listed on the Riga Stock Exchange, but said Russian businessman Grigory Luchansky could be interested in the deal.

However, Ventspils nafta officials declined to comment on this information.

Last year, a 34% state stake in Ventspils nafta was sold to an international gas company, Vitol Group, for 74 million lats ($147 million), although the government initially planned to receive 100 million lats ($200 million) from the deal.