ISTANBUL (A.A) - 05.04.2002 - Transportation Minister Oktay Vural said on Friday that the auction commission which had been formed for privatization of Turkish Telekom would prepare a road map in April.
Speaking to reporters, Vural said that the auction commission would draw a road map under the light of information it would receive from the Turkish Telekom about its restructuring.
Vural said that this road map would include Turkish Telekom's incorporation plan and perspectives like value estimate and consultant's estimate for process of privatization.
Noting that it was not true to make a statement about Turkish Telekom's value before getting a result from the market, Vural said that technologies against which Turkish Telekom was competing would play an important role during estimate of its value.
Stating that the situation of the financial sector which would invest in telecommunication sector was affecting the value of this sector, Vural said, ''so not only we should get prepared but also the markets which will buy this should face an atmosphere which will enable them to invest in telecommunications sector. Sources to such investments reduced due to the financial crisis in the world, and this is one of the biggest obstacles in front of privatization of Turkish Telekom, that is, a sufficient market which is ready to buy it has not been formed yet.''
Noting that there were considerable telecommunication consumers in Turkey and there were still more than 19 million telephone subscribers and 18 million mobile phone subscribers, Vural said, ''there is a very serious demand towards technological developments in Turkey. This demand has formed a good market. The market is attractive to private sector and foreigners.''
Recalling that an auction had been opened for the Bulgarian Telekom, Vural said that a technical team from the Turkish Telekom had carried out observations in Bulgaria and that the executive board would make an evaluation after those works.