Markus Beyrer, head of Austrian state holding OeIAG, has rejected suggestions that OeIAG should sell its stake in Telekom Austria (TA), although admitting that a final decision was in the hand of the government.
In a statement published on the website…
Markus Beyrer, head of Austrian state holding OeIAG, has rejected suggestions that OeIAG should sell its stake in Telekom Austria (TA), although admitting that a final decision was in the hand of the government.
In a statement published on the website of the holding, Beyrer said the investment in TA should be seen as long term and strategic, pointing at the importance of the telecommunications network for any country. He also referred to Germany, Switzerland and Scandinavian countries, which are invested in their respective telecoms incumbents.
The statement does not make any direct reference to Ronny Pecik, the private investor who recently acquired a 15% stake in TA, and has said that he wants to further increase the stake.
OeIAG is the largest investor in TA, with a stake of nearly 28.5%.
Beyrer said that a decrease of the stake would require a privatisation order by the Austrian government, but such an order had not been issued and is not to be expected. An increase of the holding’s stake would require a change of the OeIAG-law, he said, which rules out stake increases via acquisition of shares.
Under certain circumstances the holding would be allowed to participate in capital increases, but this would have no effect on the size of the stake of OeIAG.