Czech internet search sites to merge

The Czech internet search websites Centrum.cz and Atlas.cz are to merge under a deal announced on Tuesday. Atlas is being bought by NetCentrum, which is owned by the American private equity firm Warburg Pincus. The new group should have combined user numbers of over 4 million and be a strong competitor to the biggest search site Seznam.cz, which has around 4.5 million users. Centrum and Atlas will maintain their names and current forms.