Heorhii Dzekon, the board chairman of Ukrtelecom, the largest telecommunications company in Ukraine, has said that creation of a fund for universal telecommunications services will increase the company’s value in case of its privatization.
“In my view, it is necessary to adopt a law on [creation of a] fund for universal telecommunications services. The value of Ukrtelecom will increase significantly if such a law is adopted,” Dzekon said.
Dzekon also called or privatization of Ukrtelecom via an open auction.
He also said that it was necessary to separate Ukrtelecom’s special communications divisions from the company before privatizing the company.
As Ukrainian News earlier reported, the Cabinet of Ministers proposed in January 2009 that the parliament create a fund for universal telecommunications services, into which communications operators are to contribute 35 of the value of the services they provide (excluding value-added tax). However, the parliament rejected the relevant draft law.
The State Property Fund announced on March 24 that it planned to privatize Ukrtelecom in 2010 and said that its starting price was UAH 7 billion.
