Econ. Min. revises steel restructuring plan, investment to be lower by a third

In the coming weeks the Economy Ministry will present a revised restructuring plan for the steel industry, which forecasts five-year investments in the sector totalling zl. 6 billion, rather than zl. 8.9 billion as previously expected. According to the restructuring program, the privatization of steel mills should end next year, but the plan does allow the possibility that not all mills will find investors. Under the present version of the restructuring plan, the output of finished goods would reach 10.5 million tonnes in 2003-2004, while the output of steel itself would reach 12 million tonnes. In the new plans these figures are treated as the maximum production level, while the actual forecasts are lower. (Puls Biznesu, page 5) T.J.