- Czech Republic: The Czech government has decided not to privatise the electricity company CEZ - CESKE ENERGETICKE ZAVODY and its six regional subsidiaries, that has been on the cards since the end of 2000. The government has in effect cancelled the call for tender and has instructed the Finance and Industry Ministries to present revised plans by 28 February. The long-running favourite, French company EDF, was the only bidder left after the government rejected the joint 1.36 billion crown bid by Italy's ENEL and Spain's IBERDROLA as being too low. The business press reports that EDF, which had been planning a bid of 213 billion crowns (EUR 6.6 billion) (200 billion crowns (around EUR 6 billion) higher than the minimum price set by the Czech authorities) refused to accept some of the sale conditions. See, inter alia, IE of 10 November 2001.