Privatization nation

The Ministry of Treasury has announced that in the 15 years between August 1, 1990 until the end of September 2005 5,690 state-owned companies took part in the privatization process. Of those, only 358 entered the privatization process during the combined terms in office of Leszek Miller's and Marek Belka's governments. According to the Ministry, the National Economy Register (REGON) shows that 1,084 enterprises are still in state-hands.

In the first nine months of 2005, 63 companies continued the privatization process from the year before, while privatization was initiated in six firms in which the State Treasury possesses some shares.

As of the end of September, the Treasury Ministry was listed as the "establishing body" for 24 state-owned enterprises and one state bank (Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego) and was charged with overseeing 1,450 companies. 

The privatization of state-owned companies was one of the main differences in the coalition negotiations between the Civic Platform (PO) and Law and Justice (PiS). Apart from the strategic sectors (energy, oil, mining) PiS wants to keep state control over several more companies. However, the party's plans and pre-election declarations spoke of raising zł.7-10 billion from privatization during the next four years. Between zł.4 and zł.6 billion of these funds would come from privatization through the stock exchange.