Treasury confirms six interested in Poland's steel mills

The Treasury Ministry announced yesterday that so far six foreign investors have expressed interest in the privatization of Poland's leading steel producers Katowice, Sendzimira, Cedler and Florian. Ministry representatives said it would respond to the bidders' declarations of initial interest within the next three to four weeks. Leszek Filipowicz, director of Business Management and Finance (BMF), which together with consulting companies Evip and Flemings is advising the privatization process, declined to disclose the names of the interested parties. It is however no secret that all potential investors are international steel-sector players. "We will be very pleased if we get a strong investor willing to privatize the mills, especially Huta Katowice which is currently in financial dire straits," said Arkadiusz Krezel, president of ARP, the entity managing bailout company Towarzystwo Finansowe Silesia which is charged with restructuring the Katowice mill. In the event that investor offers are not satisfactory, the Treasury and Economy ministries say they may opt for creating a consolidated holding which would consist of still state-owned steel producers. (Prawo i Gospodarka, p.2; Reuters) A.Z.