Carlsberg claims success in buying 75% of Okocim

Danish brewer Carlsberg yesterday achieved its goal of increasing its stake in Okocim to over 75%, although the Industrial Development Agency (ARP) and the Danish Investment Fund for Central and Eastern Europe (IFCEE) decided to hold on to significant stakes in the Polish brewer. While Max Kruse, representative of the IFCEE, admitted to selling 240,000 Okocim shares to Carlsberg, the fund's managing director, Sven Riskaer, insisted that they do not intend to sell their remaining shares, and will thus be left with a 6.3% stake in Okocim. Carlsberg was offering a generous 35% above the market share price, in order to tempt small shareowners. They, however, had been scared off by the ARP and IFCEE stance, a fear foreseen by Carlsberg, which countered by extending the purchase deadline from June 25 to July 2, and thus succeeded in completing the key purchase of an additional 5.6 million Okocim shares yesterday. (Puls Biznesu, p. 5) M.T.K.