East Slovakia Water Company Issues New Bonds to Public Investors Amid Privatization Concerns

The East Slovak Water Company is issuing new bonds open to ordinary investors, following an earlier controversial bond issue that Slovakia's Supreme Audit Office criticized as a potential attempt at hidden privatization. The water utility, which serves eastern Slovakia, previously issued bonds restricted to municipal shareholders, but has now expanded the offering to general investors. Questions remain about the company's ability to execute its diverse investment plans under the leadership of Daniel Krátký, a former bankruptcy lawyer who now heads the firm. The Supreme Audit Office had flagged the initial bond issuance as potentially circumventing proper privatization procedures, raising concerns about the transparency of the company's financial restructuring.