Support cools for WSE privatization in worst year ever

Chairman of the Securities and Stock Exchange Commission (KPWiG), Jacek Soch a, has called for postponing plans to privatize the Warsaw Stock Exchange (W SE). He said that given the current market and economic conditions and the t hreats that have arisen recently, the idea of the WSE's privatization, thoug h fine in principle, should not be implemented for the time being. "There ar e many tensions involved in connection with this issue, even at the discussi on level. It would be better first to find strategic investors for the WSE, otherwise we will become a market with only marginal importance," Socha said . Analysts are suggesting that this year is very likely to be the worst in t he WSE's history in terms of the number and value of public offerings. So fa r in 2001, the KPWiG has given the go-ahead for 13 public offerings, of whic h nine have been for new companies. (Parkiet, p. 5) P.J.