Tenders to buy a 66% stake in DESFA, the Greek gas carrier, would be open by the end of this week, the Greek press reports.

Two consortia have submitted binding offers and one of them has as partner the Transgaz Romanian gas carrier, the Spanish company Reganosa and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). If the price difference between the two offers is less than 15%, there will be a second bidding round, according to Hotnews.ro.

If the price difference is over 15%, it will automatically win the consortium that offered the highest price without a second round. According to Enikonomia.gr, prices could well exceed 500 million euros. This, given the fact that in a first privatization attempt, in 2013, the SOCAR group in Azerbaijan offered 400 million euros for the 66% stake in DESFA. Subsequently, negotiations with SOCAR failed.

A month ago, a consortium led by the Spanish company Reganosa, including the Romanian state-owned company Transgaz, filed a bid for the acquisition of the 66% stake in DESFA, the Greek gas carrier. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is also part of the consortium, announcing its intention to enter into a consortium just days before the deadline for submitting bids.