to be stronger on three issues: One, it requires that if the state-owned company, SOC, wants to apply for authorisation to establish a bank, it must first get the approval of the Minister of Finance, acting with the concurrent executive authority responsible for the SOC; two, the assets of the SOC, its holding company and if applicable, the holding company of the holding company must exceed its liabilities; and three, it excludes municipal-owned companies from applying for authorisation to establish a bank.