Today the rate of Telekom share settled at only 133 euros, at moderate trade. The question remains whether Telekom will be bought by foreign buyer, and for how much.

A source close to government last summer, at collecting of non-binding offers for Telekom, hinted that the higher bid might be 190 euros per share, which would result in 1.2 billion euros total worth of Telekom. Slovenia Sovereign Holding SDH had already at that point warned that such high expectation could result in a disappointment. Politics quietly even estimated the value of Telekom to even 1.6 billion – quite often the same politics which kept obstructing the procedure by freezing the sale before the parting of the previous government, by delaying, by the arrival of the new coalition which was at first reserved towards sale of infrastructure, while some parts of the Slovenian society and media are opposed to sale of infrastructure, along with unions and the United Left party from opposition, which is gaining supporters.

Presently only two, perhaps three candidates are interested in purchase of Telekom. The Providence Fund refuses to either confirm or deny their interest. The remaining two candidates are Cinven Fund and the German Telekom. The Veber affair brought additional unrest, and new uncertainty into an already complicated procedure, made even more difficult by a large number of compensation claims, and AVK ruling on Telekom's restraint of competition.

The Slovenian Sovereign Holding will continue to lead the sale procedure until its end. But the procedure alone does not guarantee the sale of Telekom; it also depends on the offered price. Slovenian analysts believe that the price should be around 160 euros. We will have to wait and see whether the happenings around Veber will lower the price.

Maja Derčar, Radio Slovenija
Translated by G. K.