In Brief: French back WSE; PKP cuts; Farmcol; Energy contracts; Swiecie

The French Economy, Finance and Industry Ministry has recognized the status of the Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE) with regard to French regulations. Under the decision, the WSE will be able to offer its products in France. At the same time, French brokerage houses will be able to make transactions d irectly on the Polish market. (Rzeczpospolita, March 1-2, p. B5) ... PKP Przewozy Regionalne decided to postpone the liquidation of 1,050 regional train connections to the end of April. PKP trade unionists who are currently in talks with PKP representatives and Infrastructure Minister Marek Pol threaten that if PKP doesn't abandon its decision by March 5, they will start a nationwide protest. (www.polskieradio.pl) ... Pharmaceutical company Farmacol has purchased a 33% stake of Cefarm Warszawa from the Treasury Ministry. Thanks to the transaction, estimated at zl. 37.15 million, F armacol increased its hold over Cefarm to to 85.3%. (Parkiet, March 1-3, p. 3) ... Dissolution of the long-term contracts (KDT) between power plants and the Polish Power Grid (PSE) is facing a tough resistance from banks and power plants, and may break the Constitution. If sustained, however, KDT will slow down the creation of a free energy market and will impede PSE's debut on the WSE. (Parkiet, p. 5) ...Paper firm Frantschach Swiecie said on Friday that it planned to spend zl. 239.5 million on its annual dividend, indicating its payout per share would nearly triple from last year. That would translate into a payout of zl. 4.79 per share (Reuters). K.Z./A.Z.