Bank PKO BP privatization unlikely this year - official

The debut of PKO BP on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE) is unlikely to take place this year said the bank's president Andrzej Podsiadlo at a press conference yesterday. The privatization, along with a debut on the bourse in the second half of 2003, were among the Treasury Ministry's plans for the country's dominant retail bank. "We are prepared for the privatization to be launched this year, however I do not deny that this scenario is becoming less and less feasible," Podsiadlo said, adding, "In order to succeed, we have to select a privatization consulting company and have an issue prospectus filed by the end of June 2003." However, the Treasury Ministry has not yet announced a tender for the privatization consulting firm, nor has the new Treasury Minister, Slawomir Cytrycki, announced his privatization plans. (Puls Biznesu, p. 3) A.Z.