The new majority owner of Telekom Srbija should promote its IPTV and other services more aggressively, according to Jasna Matic, Serbia’s minister of telecommunications and information society.
In a wide-ranging interview in Novosti on the upcoming privatisation of the incumbent telco, Matic confirmed that 51% of the company, which is currently owned by the state (80%) and Greece’s OTE (20%), will be disposed of. If OTE sells its 20% stake, then the state will dispose of 31%.
Following the sale, the state will retain the right to veto certain decisions by the new majority owner, including a subsequent sale of the company.
Matic also said that although there were no negotiations currently taking place with prospective buyers, interested parties include Deutsche Telekom, France Telecom, Telekom Austria and Egypt’s Orascom.
A tender for the sale is currently under way, with bids invited until November 26 and a winner expected to be announced at the beginning of next year.