Government "does not plan to privatize power company"

BECREJ Minister of Energy Zorana Mihajlovic stated on Monday that Electric Power Industry of Serbia (EPS) and companies within it will not be privatized. EPS is facing major financial problems and the company will need to carry out the restructuring process and implement serious reforms but there will be no privatization, Mihajlovic told reporters in Becej. Government "does not plan to privatize power company" She noted that the government needs to ensure all the conditions for EPS reform so that the company would be competitive and ready to run the market race. Mihajlovic noted that the Ministry is also working on EPS financial consolidation and added that nobody wanted to tackle reforms in the public company in the previous period. The minister said that the construction of new capacities would help EPS become stable and provide electricity both for the local needs and exports. Srbijagas case for Prosecutor's Office Zorana Mihajlovic expressed the expectation on Monday that the Prosecutor's Office will look into the operations of Srbijagas in connection to the revision of the financial reports and regularity of operations of the public company in 2011. Mihajlovic told reporters in Becej that she was rather surprised by the results of the revision in Srbijagas, especially with the fact that such a high figure (RSD 46 billion) entails just misdemeanour charges. Mihajlovic expressed the belief that the Prosecutor's Office will have a lot of questions to answer in the case of Srbijagas since RSD 46 billion is quite a high figure and it comes from the state budget which was raised from Serbian citizens as taxpayers. When asked by reporters whether she expects Srbijagas Director Dusan Bajatovic to resign, Mihajlovic replied that the government is in charge of dismissing and appointing public companies' directors, adding that she expects the door to open in the time to come for the Prosecutor's Office to carry out actions on grounds of the reports of the Ministry's team for fight against corruption and the State Audit Institution (DRI). She recalled that the plan for Srbijagas restructuring has been prepared and that it should be discussed at the government session due in 10 to 15 days. Mihajlovic noted that the next step would be the consolidation of Srbijagas because the company has enormous debts that exceed EUR 1 billion. DRI filed a request to the Novi Sad Misdemeanour Court for initiating misdemeanour proceedings against Srbijagas Director Dusan Bajatovic for disrespect of certain provisions of the Public Procurement Law. After legal teams revise the reports, DRI will take further steps within its jurisdiction and Srbijagas has a deadline of 90 days to file the report on removal of irregularities. Tanjug

Government "does not plan to privatize power company"

She noted that the government needs to ensure all the conditions for EPS reform so that the company would be competitive and ready to run the market race.

Mihajlović noted that the Ministry is also working on EPS financial consolidation and added that nobody wanted to tackle reforms in the public company in the previous period.

The minister said that the construction of new capacities would help EPS become stable and provide electricity both for the local needs and exports.

Srbijagas case for Prosecutor's Office

Zorana Mihajlović expressed the expectation on Monday that the Prosecutor's Office will look into the operations of Srbijagas in connection to the revision of the financial reports and regularity of operations of the public company in 2011.

Mihajlović told reporters in Bečej that she was rather surprised by the results of the revision in Srbijagas, especially with the fact that such a high figure (RSD 46 billion) entails just misdemeanour charges.

Mihajlović expressed the belief that the Prosecutor's Office will have a lot of questions to answer in the case of Srbijagas since RSD 46 billion is quite a high figure and it comes from the state budget which was raised from Serbian citizens as taxpayers.

When asked by reporters whether she expects Srbijagas Director Dušan Bajatović to resign, Mihajlović replied that the government is in charge of dismissing and appointing public companies' directors, adding that she expects the door to open in the time to come for the Prosecutor's Office to carry out actions on grounds of the reports of the Ministry's team for fight against corruption and the State Audit Institution (DRI).

She recalled that the plan for Srbijagas restructuring has been prepared and that it should be discussed at the government session due in 10 to 15 days.

Mihajlović noted that the next step would be the consolidation of Srbijagas because the company has enormous debts that exceed EUR 1 billion.

DRI filed a request to the Novi Sad Misdemeanour Court for initiating misdemeanour proceedings against Srbijagas Director Dusan Bajatović for disrespect of certain provisions of the Public Procurement Law.

After legal teams revise the reports, DRI will take further steps within its jurisdiction and Srbijagas has a deadline of 90 days to file the report on removal of irregularities.