The award of Algeria’s second GSM license to Egypt's Orascom Telecom Holding (OTH) was carried out in complete compliance with the law, Algerian Communications Minister Khalida Toumi stated in a news conference Friday, September 27.
"The government itself has a firm conviction that the code of public auctions has been perfectly respected," Toumi was quoted by Reuters. Nonetheless, the minister noted that the judiciary was independent and the government would not intervene in the inquiry.
Algeria’s Public Prosecutor's office has previously confirmed it had ordered a preliminary probe into the contract, following allegations in local newspapers that the bidding process, in which OTH offered $737 million, against the $424 million bid of its competitor, France Telecom, was flawed and signed under pressure of a United Arab Emirates’ lobby.
The Cairo-based Orascom Telecom Holding (OTH), regional operator of mobile telecom and Internet services, issued a statement claiming it has not been officially notified of the launching of a judicial investigation into the award of Algeria’s second GSM license to OTH in August 2001. — (menareport.com)
© 2002 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
