The Serbian government has set (EURO)1.4 billion ($1.8 billion) as the minimum price for a 51 percent stake of the Balkan country’s most profitable state company, Telekom Srbija AD.

Seven major operators, Deutsche Telekom AG, America Movil SAB, France Telecom SAT, Telekom Austria AG, Orascom Telecom Holding SAE, Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri AS and VimpelCom Ltd., have so far registered in the tender which expires Feb. 21.

The government owns 80 percent of Telekom Srbija, which has nearly a 60 percent share in the domestic mobile and fixed phone market, plus a 40 percent share in Bosnia and 25 percent in Montenegro.

Greece’s Hellenic Telecommunications Organization SA, or OTE, holds the remaining 20 percent of Telekom Srbija.

December 24, 2010
Associated Press

• A Permanent Economic Emergency