PTK sale runs into further opposition

Having received the go-ahead from the Procurement Review Body (OSHP) earlier this week, the Kosovo government has encountered mounting opposition to the sale of incumbent telco Post and Telecommunications Kosovo (PTK). Balkans Insight reports that an amalgam of 27 trade unions joined forces to protest against the part privatisation of PTK, citing representatives from the unions as urging ‘an immediate halt to the privatisation of PTK, the Kosovo Energy Corporation (KEK) distribution network and the liquidation of Trepca,’ referring to parallel plans to government plans to sell off the Trepca mines and state owned energy provider KEK. The trade unions called on the public, in particular the employees of the companies in question to ‘show solidarity in protecting our common resources, which are about to be stolen.’ The groups blamed past privatisations for the nation’s high unemployment – which the World Bank placed at around 45% at end-2011 – and poor economic situation. As noted by CommsUpdate yesterday, the sale of PTK was challenged by Kosovo’s Self Determination movement which claimed that the plan to sell off a 75% stake in the telco only served to line the pockets of government officials.