In Brief: PKN Orlen; Polish Oil and Gas; BRE Bank and Optimus

PKN Orlen is interested in buying a stake in chemical plant Zakłady Azotowe Kędzierzyn Koźle from the Treasury" said Orlen's deputy president Janusz Wiśniewski. the chemical plant will be included in the government's program for chemical sector restructuring. (Puls Biznesu, p. 8)...Next years share issue planned by Polish Oil and Gas (PGNiG) may be larger than envisaged. The president of the concern Marek Kossowski said Saturday that PGNiG will list not 30% but 40% of its shares. Adding that according to investment bank estimates, the market value of PGNiG was EUR 4 billion. (Puls Biznesu, p. 7)...In related news, PGNiG intends to join in the construction of a gas pipe line from Germany to Poland connecting Szczecin and Bernau. Earlier, the government of Jerzy Buzek refused to grant permission opting for direct connection with Norwegian gas. BRE Bank intends decreasing its share in Optimus to 10%. It has sold over 1 million Optimus shares in transactions on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE) and as a result BRE's shares in Optimus were reduced to 17.66%. Next week, BRE intends to sell a further 7.66% share of Optimus. (Parkiet, p. 1) A.Z.