In Brief: Metropolitan Life; BRE and KBC; Fort Bema; Polmos; EU talks

Shareholders of Metropolitan Life Ubezpieczenia na Zycie, owned by Met ropolitan Life Insurance from New York, of the U.S., are seriously con sidering withdrawing from the Polish insurance market. Unofficially it is know the company is for sale. ML has been present in Poland only since 1999 and has a capital of zl. 75 million. (Puls Biznesu, p. 8) ... Belgium group KBC, the majority shareholder of Kredyt Bank, has denied it is interested in taking over Bank Rozwoju Eksportu (BRE). Herman Agnessens, the member of KBC's board of directors, was cited yesterday saying that corporate banking does not match the strategy of the Belgium bank. (Parkiet, p. 5) ... W arsaw's Bemowo gmina authorities are now looking for investors to develop the former military area of Fort Bema. Possible plans include turning the area into sport and leisure centre (Puls Biznesu, p. 12) ... Over the last week, Lublin based spirits producer Polmos has been taking advantage of the lower excise duty to increase its supplies of its Ideal and Zoladkowa Gorzka vodka brands by over 50% of its monthly average to 3.2 million bottles. The company claims that last week sales totalled zl. 20 million. (Rzeczpos polita, p. B4) ... The Cabinet yesterday increased its demands relating to EU entry talks to try and boost the fading prospects of farmers, so that they will receive the same aid from Brussels as those in existing member states. (Reuters) J.K.