BRATISLAVA, February 25, (WEBNOVINY) — The state may assign drawing up analyses to assessment of a purchase price of the power producer Slovenske Elektrarne again. According to a preliminary announcement in the Official Journal of the EU, the government privatization agency, FNM is planning to announce a tender for economic and legal assessment of Slovenske Elektrarne’s accounting as of April 26, 2006. “The selected bidder will issue a report, which will contain an opinion and recommendation on further procedure regarding individual items. A report released by the selected bidder will be considered in setting a revised purchase price for the sale of a 66-percent stake in Slovenske Elektrarne reads the announcement.
Signing an annex to a contract on the purchase of shares in Slovenske Elektrarne with the owner of a 66-percent stake, the Italian company Enel, was also largely discussed in the era of Robert Fico. Ex-minister of economy Lubomir Jahnatek even submitted arranged agreements with Enel to the Cabinet, which, however, did not eventually deal with them. The agreements included a so-called zero variant of completion of Slovenske Elektrarne’s privatization. However, at that time coalition party SNS did not agree with the zero variant. Based on the submitted annex, on which the Ministry of Economy representing the state and the Italian company Enel agreed at that time, the purchase price for Slovenske Elektrarne amounting to EUR 839 million would be the final price. The state and Enel would thus waive all additional payments for privatization of Slovenske Elektrarne, which both parties claimed based on audits conducted after the sale of the power producer.
Privatization of a 66-percent stake in Slovenske Elektrarne took place on April 28, 2006 when Slovakia signed final documents with Enel and the Italian company definitely entered the power company. Enel paid EUR 839 million for the majority stake in Slovenske Elektrarne. The remaining 34 percent are in the hands of the FNM, while the Ministry of Economy executes shareholders‘ rights.
SITA