The Slovenian government has said it will be selling Telekom Slovenije next month, as part of a plan to sell 15 companies earmarked for privatisation in 2013, by the end of next year, Reuters has reported.

Telekom Slovenije is the country’s leading mobile operator as well as fixed incumbent. It is worth an estimated $1 billion and had 1.15 million mobile connections at end Q4 2014, according to GSMA Intelligence figures. It is also the largest of the state-owned companies being sold and is expected to fetch the highest price.

Sources have told Reuters that Deutsche Telekom and investment funds Cinven and Providence are among those interested in Telekom Slovenije.

Matej Pirc, head of Slovenian Sovereign Holding, the fund coordinating the programme, said he sees “a clear determination among leading politicians to complete the sales processes” despite objections raised by an opposition party and civil society groups.

The country hopes to use proceeds from the sales, estimated to be at least €1.5 billion in total, to reduce public debt, which was around 81 per cent of GDP in 2014.

The sale of the operator had been on hold since early July when the previous government decided to suspend the process, pending the result of the 13 July elections.