Dei – Slovenia: government prepares to launch privatisation plan

Slovenia is laying the groundwork for a future privatisation plan. The National Assembly approved the Public Assets Management Strategy prepared by the government, which divides 91 Slovenian firms (an estimated overall value of 11 billion EUR) into three categories: strategic interest, major investment, portfolio asset. The government will maintain majority control over the 24 firms deemed of strategic interest, which include energy companies, the railways, the DARS motorway authority and the postal service. Major assets that involve maintaining partial control (25+1% of shares) number 21, and the remaining 46, mainly small firms, are considered portfolio assets, all of whose shares can be sold. The overall objective within 2020 is to turn a 9% profit on the investment through improved corporate management and the restructuring of firms in difficulty.