Poland is interested in stakes in UniCredit and Raiffeisen Polbank

Poland would be interested in buying UniCredit and Raiffeisen Polish units, to increase control over the banking sector, currently 60-percent owned by foreign investors, Poland's Treasury Minister Dawid Jackiewicz said on Thursday. According to the official, Poland is interested in potential bank transactions in the country and will look into them. "It is known that there are talks about the sale of Raiffeisen and Pekao. Our state-run companies could potentially take part in such transactions and conduct them. The re-polonisation level has not reached the level which is satisfying to us," Jackiewicz added. Minister Jackiewicz also mentioned that state-controlled insurer PZU SA and PKO Bank Polski SA have the “capacity” for such takeovers, and that potential bids for Polish lenders on the auction bloc may include other state companies.