THREE INVESTORS out of the four firms that submitted bids yesterday for a 66 percent stake in the state power utility Slovenské elektrárne (SE) are interested in acquiring SE as a whole, including its nuclear assets, the Pravda daily wrote.
According to the Economy Ministry the bidders include the Czech company ČEZ, the Russian InterRAO, Italian Enel, and Austrian Verbund. The latter, however, is likely to be disqualified because it is not interested in SE's nuclear plants.
Peter Mitka, from the cabinet's SE privatization advisor, PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC), said the final contract with the winning firm could be signed in October this year. Based on PWC's recommendation, which should be ready within two weeks, a 15-member committee will select a favorite and forward its choice to the cabinet.
It is unclear how much the state can earn from selling the SE stake. Two years ago, the National Property Fund forecast that the sale of a 49 percent stake could yield more than Sk49 billion.
Compiled by Martina Jurinová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
