Elektrim's minority shareholders seek to head off Vivendi

Minority shareholders with some 20% of shares in Elektrim have called an extraordinary shareholders meeting for April 20 in reaction to Vivendi's plans to reshuffle the telecoms and energy concern's management during its next supervisory board meeting on March 28. Analysts predict that four out of seven of the board members will support the French giant's plans. Minority shareholders, including funds managed by Templeton, Merill Lynch, Schroeder and Franklin Resources, have expressed approval of current Elektrim president Barbara Lundberg, and say the changes Vivendi wants to introduce will jeopardize minority shareholders' rights. Rumors are now circulating that Maciej Dyjas, head of Domy Towarowe Centrum, is Vivendi's likely choice to head management at Elektrim. (Parkiet, pp.1,2; Puls Biznesu, pp.1,4; Reuters) M.K.