B. Sobotka, the finance minister, said yesterday that the Cabinet will consider all alternatives regarding Unipetrol privatization, including Unipetrol’s split into separate companies before its sale. While some of the subsidiaries could be privatized relatively easily, some would be rather difficult (e. g., Spolana, Ceska rafinerska). Therefore, we believe that the Cabinet will try to sell the holding intact firstly, splitting it up only in the event of the total absence of bidders (an unlikely scenario) in a new tender.
MOL of Hungary announced that it awaits the Cabinet’s decision on Unipetrol privatization.
Jiri Soustruznik