July 25 (SeeNews) - The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) told SeeNews it will not comment on Slovenian media reports that it is interested in acquiring a stake in energy group Petrol [LJE:PETG] from Slovak-Czech J&T financial group, which controls 12.8% of the company.
"We do not comment on market rumours or any equity transactions," an EBRD spokesperson told SeeNews in an email.
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On Monday, Slovenian news portal Siol.net reported that the EBRD has been negotiating the purchase of J&T's stake in Petrol for some time, as the Slovak-Czech group is determined to withdraw from the Slovenian company.
Apart from the EBRD, a number of international energy giants are also eyeing Petrol, Siol.net noted, citing unofficial sources.
However, the lender is seen as the most serious candidate having last year purchased Petrol bonds worth over 8 million euro ($9.3 million). According to media reports, the EBRD is offering to pay 315 euro per share for the Petrol stake, which J&T considers too low.
Slovenia's government holds a 33.9% stake in Petrol via its holding company, bad bank, insurer Triglav and pension fund management company Kapitalska Druzba.
($=0.8561 euro)
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