Deputy Finance Minister E. Janota said in a BBC interview yesterday that the ministry does not expect any privatization revenues for the 2004-2006 state budgets (this relates to the sale of large state assets; the sale of smaller assets are included in off-budget revenues and expenditures, e.g., infrastructure funds).
This will certainly add to the confusion over when Cesky Telecom and CEZ will be sold to a strategic investor. While the timing of the former depends almost exclusively on the perceived demand for the controlling stake in the company, the Cabinet lately seems to be uncertain if it will privatize the state’s majority stake in CEZ or not.
Jiri Soustruznik