FIVE companies bidding to buy Slovakia's state-owned power utility, Slovenské elektrárne (SE), have been given code names to make the privatisation more transparent, the TASR news wire reported.
The names Dunaj (Danube river), Gerlach, Chopok, Kriváň (all mountains), and Devín (historic castle) have been allocated to five companies that are due to perform due diligence on SE before the privatisation of a 66 percent stake.
Only Economy Minister Pavol Rusko and two other people know which company has which name.
The bidders are known to include RAO UESR (Russia) and CEZ (the Czech Republic), and, most likely, also AES (U.S.), E.ON (Germany), and International Power (UK).
Rusko confirmed that CEZ and RAO UESR are the only two bidders interested in buying SE together with its two nuclear power plants.
The government is selling a 66 percent stake nominally valued at around Sk25 billion (€400 million). The stake was raised from 49 percent after the government secured an amendment to the law on privatisation earlier this month that permits the sale of majority stakes in strategic companies.
Compiled by Beata Balogová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
