Competition Commission

The Council of State is due to decide whether the construction companies found to have formed a "contractors' cartel" by the Competition Commission can continue to bid for and execute state contracts.

The Greek Parliament's Institutions and Transparency Committee has endorsed the appointment of Vassiliki Thanou, former chief of the Supreme Court, as head of country's independent Competition Commission.

Her appointment was backed by MPs from SYRIZA, Independent Greeks (ANEL), the Union of Centrists and Golden Dawn.

The government on Thursday nominated former Supreme Court president Vassiliki Thanou, who is now in charge of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras's legal office, to head the country's Competition Commission, an independent authority.

A decision by the European Court of Justice banning companies convicted of cartel practices from undertaking state contracts for at least three years has dealt a major blow to the local public works market.

State privatizations fund TAIPED and rail service operator Trainose signed the contract for the sale of 100 percent of railway carriage maintenance company Rosco on Monday.

Trainose, a 100 percent subsidiary of Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, will pay a price of 22 million euros.

A series of eagerly anticipated agreement conclusions in the energy sector are expected to take place in Athens and Milan on Friday.

The deal for the transfer of a 49 percent stake in Attica Gas Corporation from Shell to Public Gas Corporation (DEPA) was finally signed on Friday. The price that will be paid is 150 million euros.

The National Commission for Telecommunications and Post (EETT) convened on Thursday and, according to sources, has decided to issue its approval for the acquisition of Cyta telecom's Greek subsidiary by Vodafone.

This decision paves the way for the merger of the two Greek companies, thereby reducing the number of local market players from five to four.

The money owed to Public Power Corporation (PPC) by Hellenic Post (ELTA) has now been estimated at more than 60 million euros - much more than previously thought.

An agreement for the sale of 67 pct of the Thessaloniki port to South Europe Gateway Thessaloniki (SEGT) Limited, was signed at the offices of the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (HRADF) on Thursday, following the approval of the Greek Court of Audit./greece.greekreporter.com