THE Polish finance ministry is expected to decide next week on the sale of its 20 per cent stake in the WBK banking group, in which Allied Irish Banks already has a 16.3 per cent stake.

"The results of the tender may be known in a week's time," the head of the ministry's banking department, Mr Jaroslav Biernacki said.

Investors have been invited for 5 per cent blocks of WBK shares held by the government, and AIB has already indicated its interest in bidding. But AIB is facing competition for the 20 per cent stake in WBK from the Polish bank Bank Inicjatyw Gospodarczych which was also given clearance to bid for the government stake in WBK.