Kosovan operator IPKO has attracted more than ten potential buyers, according to the country’s regulator ARKEP (Autoriteti Rregullator i Komunikimeve Elektronike dhe Postare).
The disclosure was revealed in an update to the Parliamentary Committee for the Economy, with the regulator noting that the number of interested parties was in “two digits”.
IPKO’s parent firm Telekom Slovenije is not yet required to reveal the exact number of potential buyers, nor disclose their identities. The second phase of its sale process is expected to be complete by mid-November, at which point it will share these details with the regulator.
Once ARKEP has received these details, it is required to notify some of the country’s security agencies including the Kosovo Intelligence Agency (Agjencia Kosovare e Inteligjences, AKI) and the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). CommsUpdate notes that this is to determine whether any of the potential candidates pose a threat to national security.
This is of particular concern due to Serbia’s state-owned operator Telekom Srbija’s interest in acquiring IPKO. Since this could potentially grant a foreign power control over telecoms infrastructure, ARKEP members have stated that they would prevent such a sale.
However, Kosovan MPs noted that any decisions taken by ARKEP on the matter could be considered invalid since its board lacks a quorum. Officials from the regulator have refuted these concerns.
