Austrian Meinl Bank, the winner of the last in a series of tenders to sell Banka Slovakia that took several year, has not yet asked the National Bank of Slovakia (NBS) to approve acquisition of the bank’s shares, NBS spokesman Jan Onda told SITA. The sale contract between the Slovak government and the Austrian bank is ready for immediate signing, said National Property Fund (FNM) president Jozef Kojda. However, signing is conditional on completing talks with the central bank.

Meinl Bank should buy its 60.07-percent stake in Banka Slovakia from the FNM. The preliminary price is SKK 360 million. Meinl Bank should pay the first 30 percent of the sum on the day of signing the purchase contract, while the remaining portion should be deposited in a special account before the transaction’s closing day. The closing day is expected in the first half of this year. The definitive price of the stake will be set on the basis of an audit of the bank’s results up to December 31, 2002. In addition to FNM’s stake, Meinl Bank also showed interest in shares from the portfolio of Slovenska Poistovna, Slovenska Sporitelna and Banska Bystrica city council. These entities together control 39.6 percent in Banka Slovakia.