KYIV. Dec 3 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Around 20 investors have shown their interest in the possible purchase of Odesa Port-Side Plant at the privatization tender, including four U.S. companies, Norway’s Yara and some European companies, Head of the State Property Fund of Ukraine (SPF) Ihor Bilous said on Channel 5 TV late on Wednesday.
He said that companies from developing countries, in particular, Turkey, Morocco, Indonesia, China and Arab countries are also among potential buyers.
Traders and financial investors form a separate group.
He said that the plant is finishing designing the management presentation and it is almost ready to the visits of the potential buyers.
Bilous said that the largest risk for the tender scheduled for spring 2016 is the political risk, as the sale of Odesa Port-Side Plant was twice stopped manually.
A delay with the adoption of amendments to laws on privatization by the parliament that revokes the obligatory sale of 5% of shares on stock exchanges is among other risks. However, the preliminary compromise on the issue has been reached in the parliament.
Bilous also remained about litigation with Nortima affiliated with businessman Ihor Kolomoisky. Nortima won a tender to sell Odesa Port-Side Plant in 2009, although the tender results were overturned. He said that the next hearing is scheduled for December 9, and until now the State Property Fund won the dispute in all courts.
He said that the slammed tolling scheme will not be used at the plant.
“Only open purchases of gas at the lowest price will be used,” he said.
The plant’s supervisory board will approved a special procedure for buying gas and selling finished products.
