Around PLN477 (€113 million) of public money could have been lost in the digitisation process in Poland, according to a report produced by the country’s Association of Entrepreneurs and Employers (ZPP).
Quoted by Wirtualne Media, its president Cezary Kazmierczak said that the Polish government tends to treat natural monopolies differently than other European countries. When selling them to investment funds, they do not create any added value for the public good and instead allow speculators to earn billions.
The report alleges that in Poland’s digitisation process there was collusion between leading mobile operators in the competition for mobile TV frequencies. It ultimately led to potential losses of some PKN477 million from the public purse.
The ZPP says that the aim of its report is to ultimately change the state’s policy when selling companies operating in natural monopoly sectors.
Ultimately, they should be sold to companies also operating in those industries rather than to financial investors.
Furthermore, monopolies should be avoided whenever possible.
