PKP searching for strategic partner for telecom spinoff

Polish State Railways (PKP) is planing to find a strategic partner for its telecommunications business. Their aim is to create a wholly owned telecom subsidiary, named Teleinformatyka in July. The strategic stake in the new firm is to be sold to a foreign or domestic investor next year. Teleinformatyka's assets, which will include more than 5,000 kilometers of PKP's fibre-optics network, exchanges and other modern data transmission facilities, are to be used to create a company offering general telecoms services according to the head of PKP's telecommunications department Marek Misko. PKP says international telecommunications firms are interested in Teleinformatyka, although no talks have been undertaken. Local investors would be also welcome to bid. (Prawo i Gospodarka, page 3, Reuters) A.D.