The Slovak government has decided to sell its state-owned heating plants, Finance Minister Ivan Mikloš announced at a press conference following a cabinet meeting on February 9, the TASR newswire reported.
"We've issued a recommendation to the chair of the executive committee of the National Property Fund (FNM) that they, in conjunction with the Economy Ministry, should draw up a project on privatisation," said Mikloš.
The central heating plants are located in Bratislava, Trnava, Žilina, Martin, Zvolen and Košice.
"We'll privatise them via a tender. We haven't agreed on the proportion (of shares) yet, but it will be at least 51 percent," he said, while adding that FNM and the Economy Ministry are required to determine whether local governments should gain partial ownership.
Mikloš told TASR that experience has shown that management of the plants has not been effective. An earlier analysis estimated the market value of the companies at between €160 and €200 million.
Source: TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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