Romania-based Digi Communications’ Spanish chief reportedly indicated the group was willing to splash €2 billion in the country if it is able to acquire assets freed-up in remedies to get a merger of Orange and Masmovil’s local units past the post.
In an interview with Spanish newspaper El Mundo, Digi Spain CEO Marius Varzaru became the latest of the group’s senior figures to indicate its interest in taking advantage of measures made to get Orange and Masmovil’s big deal through.
Varzaru also highlighted the company’s growth trajectory in the country, where it currently offers mobile services through an MVNO agreement with Telefonica alongside fixed broadband.
The executive’s cash pot revelation is the latest indication the Romanian group is poised to pounce on a potential opportunity to expand its play in Spain.
On an investor call last month to discuss Q2 earnings, Digi Communications CEO Serghei Bulgac stated it would be interested in a Spanish move, adding “this is an important transformative moment for the market, with the market possibly going from four large players to three large players and if there is an opportunity…for us to play a part in this process we would certainly be interested”.
Orange’s proposed merger with Masmovil is currently going through the European Commission (EC) approvals process, where the authority has highlighted potential concerns around a cut in competition and higher consumer pricing.
In June, the EC placed a deadline of today (4 September) for a decision, but widespread media reports published in July claimed it had stopped the clock on the process while awaiting further information.
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