LONDON, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Plans to sell off central and east European state assets are stuttering back into life after stalling last year as countries such as Poland and Bulgaria seek to bolster public finances.
But progress is patchy given the complexity of winding down the state's role in formerly centrally planned economies and policy reversals by some governments.
Here are updates of state asset sale plans in the region:
BOSNIA
The government is in talks with U.S.-based drug maker Alvogen Inc to sell its 19-percent stake in drug firm Bosnalijek after a previous attempt to divest its holdings failed.
BULGARIA
Bulgaria has said it would sell its 33-percent stake in a power distributor controlled by Germany's E.ON Ag as well as its majority stake in the stock exchange.
The centre-right government has also said it would sell state-held minority stakes in 55 companies.
The planned privatisation of cigarette-maker Bulgartabak has yet to occur and a national ban on smoking in all cafes and restaurants was reversed in June amid concerns that the prohibition would hit the company's valuations.
CROATIA
Croatia is on track to complete the sale of its loss-making shipyards as part of the conditions it must meet to secure European Union membership.
The government vowed this year to start selling its stakes in the firms where the state has less than 25 percent though the plan has not been detailed yet.
CZECH REPUBLIC
The government has said it is committed to keeping a qualified majority 60 percent in power group CEZ.
ESTONIA
The government sold a minority stake in Eesti Telekom late last year after refusing to divest it for years. A partial listing of state-owned power company, Eesti Energia, was considered but shelved due to unfavourable market conditions and political resistance.
No asset sales are on the agenda at least until after parliamentary elections in March 2011.
HUNGARY
Since taking over the reins in May, Hungary's centre-right government has talked of wanting to grow, rather than sell off, state assets.
Budapest is seeking to end Russian ownership in Hungarian oil and gas conglomerate MOL via the 21-percent stake held by Surgutneftegaz.
LATVIA
Latvia has said its first priority is to increase returns generated by state-owned companies and improve corporate governance rather than privatising them. It has ruled out divesting its railway, energy and forestry companies.
LITHUANIA
Lithuania is pushing for more efficient and transparent management of its state-owned assets which it estimates to have a potential market value of 18 billion litas ($7.3 billion) while trying to attract private capital into these companies.
The government has said it is not in a hurry to privatise the companies but wants to raise the level of management and returns in order to help cut the budget deficit.
Lithuania, however, wants to sell stakes in its energy companies to raise capital for a new nuclear power plant.
POLAND
Poland is embarking on a wave of privatisation that has so far secured just over half of its 2010 privatisation goal of 25 billion zlotys ($8.8 billion).
The sale of a 10 percent stake in top utility PGE, worth about $1.4 billion, has been reportedly launched while energy sector heavyweights Lotos, Enea and Energa are set for divestment in the coming months.
A 64-percent stake in Poland's state-owned stock exchange is also moving ahead in an offer valued at up to $450 million.
Warsaw has also said it would sell stakes in top firms such as lender PKO and insurer PZU.
ROMANIA
The government has appointed Franklin Templeton to manage state investment fund Fondul Proprietatea ahead of a planned initial public offering in early 2011. Set up to compensate its citizens whose properties were seized under communism, the fund is likely to be listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange and a second foreign bourse. (Reporting by Irina Ivanova in Bucharest, Dunai Marton in Budapest, Adrian Krajewski in Warsaw, Igor Illic in Zagreb, David Mardiste in Tallinn; writing by Sebastian Tong; editing by Stephen Nisbet) (sebastian.tong@thomsonreuters.com; +44 20 7542 8561; Reuters Messaging: sebastian.tong.reuters.com@reuters.net)) ($1=2.829 Zloty) ($1=2.468 Lithuanian Litas)