Verheugen to raise Eureko-PZU dispute during visit to Poland Thursday

Economy Minister Jacek Piechota yesterday assured European Union (EU) Enlargement Commissioner Guenter Verheugen that "the privatization of PZU will go ahead." Referring to a dispute with Dutch company Eureko over delays in the sale of an additional stake in PZU, Piechota said, "Everything can be resolved peacefully without a tribunal." A spokesman for Verheugen stated, "The European Commission expects this argument will be resolved very q uickly." According to EU diplomats, Verheugen intends to raise the issue during a visit to Poland on Thursday. In an interview with Rzeczpospolita yesterday, Eureko spokesperson Lorrie Morgan confirmed that the company had written to the European Commission (EC) on Friday, but insisted the letter was not a complaint. She said Eureko will do all it can to protect its investment and ensure that the signed agreements are carried out. (Rze czpospolita, p. B1) P.W.