Malta Shipyards privatisation: Minister keeps mum on expressions of interest submitted

Finance Minister Tonio Fenech would not reveal the number of firms that have shown an interest in buying parts or the whole of Malta Shipyards in order not to discourage interested parties from filing a formal bid. The minister said yesterday that expressions of interest were not formal bids which are submitted at a cost. Comments about the number of expressions filed might have a detrimental effect on the privatisation process, he said. Mr Fenech said there was a positive response from interested parties, with a number being interested in buying the whole enterprise while others submitting interest for buying parts.
The four parts of the shipyards are the ship repairs, yacht repairs, super yachts and shipbuilding sections.
Contrary to what was published, said the minister, he only saw the bids in a photo taken of the batch inside a safe in the ministry, thus confirming that he was not evaluating the expressions of interest.