Minister predicts “several bidders” for Telekom

Telecommunications Minister Jasna Matic stated that there will undoubtedly be several bidders in the tender for the sale of Telekom Srbija. She said that apart from Deutsche Telekom, Egyptian Orascom and Spanish Telefonica were also “very interested”. Minister predicts “several bidders” for Telekom Matic stated for the Thursday issue of the Belgrade-based daily Blic that she believes that "the tender will be called in the fall". She said that the claims that Orascom was interested were based on her talks with the owner of Orascom and Egyptian minister of international cooperation. According to Matic, Orascom is a large company which is present in the Balkan region, Italy and Greece, “and it seems quite credible”. She pointed out that the Serbian Telecommunications Ministry believes that Telekom can be privatized because there had been a liberalization of the market, as well as the establishment of a regulatory and institutional framework which enables the functioning of the market regardless of the ownership structure. According to previous reports, the government plans to sell the state's 40-percent stake in the company.

Minister predicts “several bidders” for Telekom

Matić stated for the Thursday issue of the Belgrade-based daily Blic that she believes that "the tender will be called in the fall".

She said that the claims that Orascom was interested were based on her talks with the owner of Orascom and Egyptian minister of international cooperation.

According to Matić, Orascom is a large company which is present in the Balkan region, Italy and Greece, “and it seems quite credible”.

She pointed out that the Serbian Telecommunications Ministry believes that Telekom can be privatized because there had been a liberalization of the market, as well as the establishment of a regulatory and institutional framework which enables the functioning of the market regardless of the ownership structure.

According to previous reports, the government plans to sell the state's 40-percent stake in the company.