Minister asks EU for delay in opening national rail market

"According to an earlier agreement, 20% of the market will be opened on the accession date. This would last until the end of 2006, but we want to extend this date to August 15, 2008, with a fully liberalized market in 2012," explained Deputy Infrastructure Minister Maciej Leśny. It is highly unlikely that the EU will agree to this, as it is already pressing the new EU members to accelerate the opening of their rail markets. Leśny claims that more time is needed in order to find a better investor for PKP Cargo. By the end of March, PKP will have to prepare a shortlist of companies chosen as privatization advisors for PKP Cargo. (Puls Biznesu, pp. 1, 12) M.M.