Jun 26, 2006. /Lesprom Network/. Bulgarian state-owned tobacco firm Bulgartabak Holding said Friday, June 23 it plans to sell its shares in its cigarette filter and packaging production unit Yuri Gagarin BT on the stock exchange in Sofia, SeeNews informed. "On June 22, the supervisory board of Bulgartabak Holding approved the sale of the company's shares in Yuri Gagarin BT through a public offering on the Bulgarian stock exchange - Sofia," Bulgartabak Holding said in a statement. It gave no timeframe for the planned sale and officials were not immediately available to comment. Bulgartabak Holding owns 80.6% of Yuri Gagarin BT. Bulgartabak said earlier this year it planned to transfer Yuri Gagarin BT's cigarette filter-making equipment to one of the holding company's cigarette making subsidiaries and then decide what to do with the packaging plant. Austrian cardboard and packaging maker Mayr-Melnhof said in January it was interested in buying Yuri Gagarin BT. Yuri Gagarin BT shares gained 2.1% to BGN 38 (24.4) at 08:58 GMT. "I suppose that after there is an officially announced intention by Bulgartabak the price may continue rising and exceed BGN 40 ($25.7)," Geno Tonev, broker with Ug Market brokerage, told SeeNews.