DINKIC: No sale of Telekom Srbija

(Mladjan Dinkic)

Serbian finance minister Mladjan Dinkic said that the government has reached a consensus on the privatization of underground coal mining company JP PEU Resavica as well as on offering a long-term lease on Belgrade's Nikola Tesla Airport, local media reported on Wednesday.

However, the government could not reach an agreement on selling incumbent telco Telekom Srbija, Beta news agency cited Dinkic as saying.

On Monday the daily Danas reported that the government was hoping the privatization of Telekom Srbija and JP PEU Resavica along with the lease of Belgrade's Nikola Tesla Airport would go some way to fill up the state coffers.

The public tender for the privatization of JP PEU Resavica will be called in September while that for the lease on Nikola Tesla airport is expected in early 2014, Dinkic said.

JP PEU Resavica operates all underground coal mines in Serbia.