PKO sticks to plans for rights issue in 2009-report

WARSAW, July 11 (Reuters) - Poland's largest bank PKO PKOB.WA is determined to complete a 5 billion zlotys ($1.6 billion) rights issue this year despite the dismissal of its chief executive, his interim replacement was quoted as saying.

Analysts have speculated that the firing of Jerzy Pruski earlier this week after he clashed with the supervisory board over a large dividend payout would put Poland's largest share issue since PKO's 2004 listing on ice.

"We want the issue to take place this year and we're doing everything to stick to the schedule," Interim Chief Executive Wojciech Papierak was quoted as saying by Rzeczpospolita daily on Saturday.

The state-controlled bank will also hold a shareholders meeting requested by the treasury ministry to make changes to the supervisory board. It has not yet announced an official contest for the top job.

PKO will pay a 1 billion zlotys dividend from last year's earning to help plug a gaping hole in the state budget. (Reporting by Chris Borowski)