Poczta Polska begins to shape-up for market liberalization

According to Poczta Polska's (PP) general director Leszek Kwiatek, within fo ur to five years the company plans to invest up to zl. 4 billion to help it develop. The strategy, which should be ready by June, envisages widening com puterization as well as open more post office branches offering wider servic es. "PP will be capable of financing up to zl. 400 million annually. The rem aining amount would have to be borrowed from banks. We will need government guarantees," said Kwiatek. He expects that in the autumn the issue will be d iscussed by the government and later in the sejm during a debate on the new postal law. "I think that PP should preserve its character as a public insti tution. However in view of the future liberalization of the postal services market, PP also has to develop its commercial activity in other fields in or der to cover losses," said Kwiatek. The market for postal services is entire ly monopolized. The first step to liberalize it will be the introduction of a new postal law which will come into force on January 1, 2003. However, it is still not clear, what parts and by how much, the market will be liberaliz ed. (Puls Biznesu, p. 9) A.Z.