PSE joins BIG, with Cefarm about to follow

The National Grid (PSE) has joined the Bartimpex Industrial Group (BIG) consortium seeking to win contracts to rebuild Iraq. According to Puls Biznesu, pharmaceutical concern Cefarm will likewise also soon sign up. "We are in talks with other companies, and in some case progress is good," said BIG president Aleksandar Gudzowaty. "Having Polish companies competing among themselves in Iraq would be nonsense," added Bartimpex Foreign Trade Company deputy president Kazimierz Adamczyk. In addition to Polish companies, Gudzowaty plans to attract Jordan National Bank that took part in the "food for oil" program. The latter is to be merged into the European Cooperation Bank in which Bartimpex holds a 44% stake. The consortium hopes to win part of the estimated $1.5 billion contracts to reconstruct Iraqi oil mines and several other minor projects. However, so far, BIG has not signed any contracts in the Middle East. (Puls Biznesu, pp. 1, 6) M.K.