Serbia Denies Network Sale Plans

Serbia's Telecommunications Minister, Marija Raseta- Vukosavljevic has refuted recent local media reports that the government is discussing the privatisation of the state managed GSM network, Mobtel. The local media network, Television B92 reported that the state shareholding could be sold as early as September. The television channel was citing an un-named company official who had been appointed following recent legal action in the company.

Mobtel is currently operating under a court order while an investigation is carried out on its 51% shareholder, BK Trade to see if the company has met investment pledges that were made when the company set up the GSM network. If the investigation shows that BK Trade has not met its commitments, then the state could increase its holding in the network to 70% and then resell that to an overseas company.

Vodafone has been linked to the purchase of a stake in Mobtel on several occasions in the past few months.'"

Posted to the site on 17th May 2002