BRATISLAVA, January 18th, 2008

The Slavia Capital Group definitively took control of joint-stock company Palma-Tumys at the general meeting on Friday. Shareholders at the general meeting elected a new supervisory board, whose chairman is Martin Kvietik. Three people from the newly-elected nine-member supervisory board are representatives of company employees. Slavia Capital spokesman Peter Bencurik that the intention of Palma-Tumys’ new shareholder is to develop the company’s processing capacity and effective cooperation with the farm sector on a long-term partnership basis. The company’s product portfolio will still have two pillars: dominant production of edible fats and oils and complementary production of methylester of rapeseed oil (MERO). “Production of plant fats and oils remains a key component of the production program of Palma-Tumys. Simultaneously, the company is ready to effectively fulfill the program of bio-fuel development in Slovakia,” said Mr. Bencurik. Palma-Tumys also strives to support creation of a stable local growing base.

The Antitrust Office of the Slovak Republic (PMU) approved the concentration of Slavia Capital Holding SA and Palma-Tumys, a.s. in early August 2007. The concentration consisted of acquiring indirect sole control of Palma-Tumys by Slavia Capital Holding SA through Fame Bratislava, based on a contract of sale and purchase of shares. The group Slavia Capital bought 71.99 percent of Palma-Tumys in March 2007. The group signed an agreement on purchase of the above share package with the intention of a gradual buyout of the remaining shares of the company. Slavia Capital did not disclose the financial details of the transaction. According to information that appeared in media, the price for a 100 percent stake in Palma was set at SKK 1.8 billion. Palma-Tumys is a producer of edible oils and fats and MERO. The company exports its products to the Czech Republic, Ukraine, Hungary, Austria and others. Audited unconsolidated sales of the company amounted to SKK 3.62 billion and unconsolidated taxed profit reached SKK 133.5 million. Palma-Tumys currently employs 678 people. Slavia Capital is an investment group, primarily focused on private equity operations. Its geographical priority is the Central and Eastern European region. In addition to Slovakia, it operates in the Czech Republic, Serbia, Poland and Romania.