The National Property Fund confirmed yesterday that six companies had expressed interest in Unipetrol, in which the state is offering its 63% stake, and it delayed the deadline for investor expression of preliminary interest from December 20 till January 12, 2004.
The Czech daily Hospodarske noviny reports today that as many as nine companies have expressed interest in the privatization tender so far; including MOL, PKN Orlen (which teamed-up with Czech Agrofert), Agip/ENI, and one member of the IOC consortium (IOC owns 49% of Ceska rafinerska, which is 51%-owned by Unipetrol; IOC is formed by Agip, Shell, and Conoco). Participation in the tender is also reportedly being seriously considered by Yukos and TNK of Russia.
This could support the stock price after previously discouraging indications regarding the number of bidders.
Jiří Soustružník