Securitization of the Polish Sovereign Debt in the International Markets

The paper describes the process of securitization of the Polish sovereign debt in the international markets, during the last 15 years. This tool has been applied in order to place past or future flow receivables arising from illiquid debts, henceforth embodied in transferable securities in capital markets. Debt restructuring through securitization enables the creditor to unfreeze his debt, the debtor - to increase his credibility, and give to third party investors an access to a new market instrument. Unlike commercial entities using it mainly for future flow receivables, securitization remains rather occasional in Polish public debt management. In 1994, Polish government, and a few years later also the French one, used securitization to issue international bonds backed by former Polish Treasury debts. At that time, it helped Poland to return to international markets, whereas in the last few years Polish government has preferred old debt buy-backs and raising new funds through more innovative instruments, like eurobond issues