LOT privatization plan promised by end of the month

Treasury Minister Aldona Kamela-Sowinska has said that by the end of this month she will submit to the Cabinet Economic Committee (KERM) a plan for the second stage of the privatization of LOT Polish Airlines. In addition, she has proposed changing the existing regulations, under which the State is guaranteed 51% of LOT shares. Scandinavian airline SAS is rumored to be interested in buying into LOT. Earlier, the Treasury Minister announced that the sale of a minority stake in LOT on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE) will not be taking place this year, due to the changes that will have to be introduced to the sale regulations. LOT was partially privatized in 1999, when Swissair acquired a minority stake in the company. The Swiss airline, which brought LOT into its Qualiflyer alliance last year, currently owns 37.6% of the Polish carrier. (Puls Biznesu, p. 9) A.Z.