Sejm discusses Stoen privatization, Minister accused of selling too cheap

Last week there were stormy debate in the Sejm concerning the privatization of Stoen. According to the opposition, the government sold the corporation for a far too low a price and thus broke the Constitution. The government on the other hand, thinks that it was a very good deal, particularly considering that energy market regulations forbid the new owner from raising the energy price in the near future. Kaczmarek also tried to calm fears that the new owner will exercise monopoly power. Despite the hard-hitting criticism, the government does not intend to back out of the contract. Self-Defense leader Andrzej Lepper, opened the debate on the issue by saying, "Stoen should have been sold for at least zl. 656 million more that it went for". He went on to call the action of Treasury Minister Wieslaw Kaczmarek, as criminal. Kaczmarek defended himself by arguing that the government received almost three times more for Stoen than the Czech Republic received for their main energy distribution company, even after taking into account the different size of the markets. (Rzeczpospolita, Oct. 31-Nov. 1, p. B1) A.C