Deputy Finance Minister T. Potmesil said yesterday that his ministry should propose a new CT privatization proposal to the Cabinet by end of October, one which would permit the participation of both strategic and financial investors. There are about 20 financial investors interested in Cesky Telecom, said the deputy. The new proposal will not include any rigid timetable, the general objective would be to complete the privatization by mid-2002 (a general election is due in June 2002), though not at any price, according to the deputy. The mid-2002 time frame as well as the desire to include financial investors have been generally known, but the prospect of the Cabinet possibly approving a new privatization plan next week could be marginally positive for the stock.
(Ondrej Datka)