THE STATE may sell heating firms to private investors in five Slovak towns.
The Slovak daily Pravda reported that Economy Minister Pavol Rusko wants to offer private investors majority stakes ranging between 55 percent and 66 percent in heating firms in Bratislava, Košice, Trnava, Žilina, Martin, and Zvolen, while the remaining stakes would become the property of the towns. Profits from the sale would thus go to the state.
The plan is in conflict with the proposal of Rusko's immediate predecessor, Robert Nemcsics, who promised the towns that all shares in the heating firms would be transferred to them.
The towns would then be able to decide whether they want to sell or keep their 100 percent stakes. Representatives of the towns in question are in favour of the latter alternative.
27. Oct 2003 at 0:00 | From press reports
