Opposition SaS Urges Transparent State Bid for SE Majority Stake

Bratislava, 13 May (TASR) - In order to improve Slovakia's energy self-sufficiency, the state should acquire larger stakes and greater leverage in key energy companies, opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) MP Karol Galek declared on Wednesday. Speaking at a press conference, Galek said that the government will soon have the opportunity to exercise a pre-emption right to acquire a 17-percent stake in power utility Slovenske elektrarne (SE) and that it should begin preparations to do so immediately. He added that the process should be as transparent as possible and governed by a special law that SaS plans to draft and submit to Parliament in September. At present, Slovakia owns a 34 percent stake in SE, while the remainder is controlled by the Czech EPH group. By exercising the pre-emption right, Slovakia could increase its holding to 51 percent and gain a majority stake in the company. Galek noted that the state may exercise the right within six months after the final permit for both new blocks at the Mochovce nuclear power plant are issued. In April, the Nuclear Regulatory Authority published a draft decision for the fourth unit at Mochovce, collected comments on it and is now set to process them and deal with any appeals. "The point as of which we'll be able to exercise the pre-emption right is approaching inexorably. That's why we're clearly saying that the government must prepare now to exercise this right," said Galek. He underlined that the process must be transparent. "We need to know in advance how much it will cost, where the money will come from; and, if there are expert assessments, which there certainly will be, they must be carried out by truly responsible and verified experts," he added. SaS is also calling for the entire process to be overseen by Parliament's economic committee and discussed with the wider public, given its significance for society as a whole. According to Galek, the process should be covered by a special-purpose law. "As a party, SaS supports the purchase of this stake, but we want it to be properly safeguarded by legislation so that there will be no further failures or waste of public finances," said Galek, adding that he believes agreement can be reached with other political parties on the issue. mf/df