Government will not have time for oil sector privatization

The out-going government will not manage to finalize the privatization of PKN Orlen and Rafineria Gdanska (RG), but it can still make the major decisions concerning the process, deputy Treasury Minister Barbara Lit ak-Zarebska said yesterday. These decisions could include accepting a change in the privatization strategy for the sector that would allow non-sector investor Rotch Energy to buy a 75% stake in RG, as well as choosing between the two candidates battling for 17.58% of PKN Orlen shares. It remains uncertain which of the two, MOL of Hungary or OMV of Austria. will be chosen, although Rzeczpospolita reports that the government has probably received a recommendation from the board of privatization agency Nafta Polska supporting MOL. It is also not known whether the new government will decide to carry on with the tender. (Rzeczpospolita, p. B4) M.K.