ANTALYA - Privatization process of Turkey`s national lottery will begin in the second quarter of this year, Turkish privatization authority officials said on Thursday.
Several national and foreign companies are keeping a close eye on the long-waited privatization tender of Milli Piyango, the state-owned lottery company.
Turkish government plans to issue a 10-year licence for the highest bidder.
Milli Piyango has 32 percent of market share in Turkey with an annual turnover of 683 million USD and 189 million USD of net profit.
Turkish privatization administration officials also said they plan to complete privatization process of Halk Bankasi, power grids, bridges and highways, sugar plants, Galataport and Bandirma and Samsun ports , as well as public offering of 15 percent stake of Turk Telekom.
Officials said Turkey applies "golden share" rule in privatizations due to national interests and has golden shares in previously privatized companies such as Tupras, Turk Telekom, Petkim and Erdemir.
Golden share is a type of share that confers sufficient voting rights in a company to maintain control and protect it from takeover. The golden share prevents potential predators from buying shares and then using them to outvote the company`s existing owners.
(TÇ-ULG)