October 3 (SeeNews) - Telekom Slovenije said on Wednesday it has bought 70% of Bosnian provider of fixed-line services Aneks for 3.33 million euro ($4.72 million).
The other shareholder in Aneks, whose identity was not disclosed, will become owner of 30% of Blic.net, a Bosnian subsidiary of Telekom Slovenije, the Slovenian telecoms company said in a statement.
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The two companies, Blic.net and Aneks, are planned to merge into one company from January 1, 2008, with Telekom Slovenije holding a 70% stake in it.
"Telekom Slovenije's strategic goal for the merged Blic.net/Aneks is to become the premier provider of alternative and advanced broadband IP services on this market with a 30% market share," the statement said.
With the acquisition of 70% of Aneks Telekom Slovenije also acquired a licence for fixed-line telephone services valid on the whole territory of Bosnia.
BH Telecom (www.bhtelecom.ba) is the largest of the three fixed-line telecoms operating in war-divided Bosnia which comprises a Muslim-Croat Federation and a Serb Republic. The other two Bosnian telecoms are HT Mostar, which is active in the Federation, and Telekom Srpske which operates in the Serb Republic. All three Bosnian telecoms have wireless units.
Aneks, set up in 1992, launched fixed-line telephone services in 2006 which now generate almost 70% of its revenue. In 2006, Aneks had revenue of 2.8 million euro and net profit of 517,000 euro. Revenue in the first half of this year amounted to 3.9 million euro with 401,000 euro net profit.
Slovenia's Economy Ministery said on Monday that 15 companies have expressed interest in buying 49.13% of majority state-owned Telekom Slovenije. The companies that have expressed interest will be able to submit their non-binding bids by October 15.
The government owns 74% of Telekom Slovenije directly and indirectly through state-owned investment funds. Local and foreign shareholders own the remaining shares.
Shares in blue-chip Telekom Slovenije lost 0.4% to an average price of 470.14 euro by 1050 GMT Wednesday on the Ljubljana Stock Exchange.
($ = 0.71 euro)