Mobile operators deny Der Spiegel bribery accusation

Two mobile phone operators, PTK Centertel and PTC, which were supplied with telecoms infrastructure equipment by Ericsson in 1999, claim that they had nothing to do with the bribery scandal reported by German Der Spiegel last week. The weekly magazine wrote that the company won contracts to supply equipment to mobile operators in Slovenia, Poland, Bulgaria and Lebanon through bribery. According to the magazine, Ericsson designated CHF550 million for this purpose. PTK Centertel announced that it knew nothing about such practices of Ericsson in Poland. PTC's director Antoni Mielniczuk said, "We will not prepare any statement as we have nothing to do with the case." (Rzeczpospolita, May 31-June 1, p. B2) M.M.