Laar speaks about privatization, budget policy at EBRD

RIGA (BNS) - Estonian Prime Minister Mart Laar took part in two
seminars under the annual meeting of the European Bank for
Reconstruction and Development in Riga May 21, speaking about
privatization in Estonia and the government's budget policy.

At a seminar on transition countries and enlargement of the European
Union, Laar spoke about Estonia's experience in privatization and the
selloff of infrastructure companies such as railway and energy, a
government spokesman said.

Laar said Estonia was set to carry out the privatization of
infrastructure companies with the state's interests in mind. He also
said that neither foreign nor local companies would be given preference
in selecting the buyer. Business-people are already involved in the
management of Estonian state companies for greater efficiency, he
said.

During a seminar on cooperation in northern Europe, Laar spoke about
Estonia's budget policy, saying that tight fiscal policy made Estonia a
reliable partner.

Laar also spoke about Estonia's nationwide human gene charting plan at
that seminar.

The Estonian premier traveled to Riga May 20 to take part in the EBRD
annual meeting and meet with his Latvian and Lithuanian counterparts.
He was scheduled May 22 to read a report before the EBRD forum about
investment opportunities in Estonia.

Estonian Finance Minister Siim Kallas addressed the EBRD meeting after
Laar about the development of the Estonian economy at the macro level.