Italy's Mundys raises stake in Eurotunnel operator Getlink to 19% and could go further

PARIS, March 31 (Reuters) - Italian infrastructure operator Mundys agreed to raise its stake in Getlink GETP.PA, the Paris-based operator of the Channel Tunnel, by 3.5 percentage points to 19% and may acquire a further 6% in the company, Mundys said on Tuesday.

The Italian company would also control up to 24.9% of Getlink's voting rights after buying that 3.5% stake, it added.

The acquisition by Mundys led to Getlink's shares rising by around 3% in early session trading in Paris.

Mundys said it expected to get regulatory approval to buy the other 6% in Getlink next month, which would bring its equity stake in the company to 25%, with 29.9% of voting rights.

"Mundys may further increase its stake depending on market conditions and has no intention to take control or to request the nomination of additional board members," the statement said.

It did not disclose how much it paid for the stake, though Getlink is worth 9.90 billion euros ($11.36 billion), according to LSEG data.

Mundys is controlled by the Benetton family's holding company Edizione and U.S.-based private equity fund Blackstone BX.N is its second largest shareholder.

($1 = 0.8718 euros)