The Latvian Privatization Agency said on Thursday it had received two bids for the government's 68 percent stake in Latvian Shipping, one of the world's largest oil products transporters. "We have two contenders who expressed interest in participating in the Latvian Shipping privatization and have made their bids," said the economy minister, who heads the privatization agency's council. The agency did not name the bidders and the government has not provided estimates on the size of the sale. The Latvian Cabinet is expected to set the minimum price for the auction on April 10, while the auction itself will take place in May. The government has been trying to privatize the company since 1996, but its previous attempts have failed due to a lack of interest and political bickering.
