The proposed sale of a 25.1% stake in the Polish national commercial station Polsat to Axel Springer is back in the spotlight. Although the deal looked done and dusted at the end of last year, the Polish Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) blocked it in April “for formal reasons”. Local reports indicate that the two sides will restart negotiations next month, with Axel Springer expected to offer at least €50 million more than the initially agreed fee of €250 million. Under current arrangements, any deal between the two parties would have to be concluded by the end of this year. Polsat is also likely to float between 15-20% of its shares on the Warsaw Stock Exchange in 2008.
