The most important thing that was requested to European Commission’s (EC) delegation was to get support for extending the deadline for closing the mines, from 2018 to 2030, said the Energy Minister Andrei Gerea, after with representatives of EC.
“Those at Hunedoara Energy Complex have said their grievances. The desire is to keep all the work in place, to keep mining in the Jiu Valley and most important thing that was asked was to get support for the extension of the mine closure. In the event that we ask or we conclude that we need to get on a program like this that is good to have more time available, i.e. from 2018 to 2030. But again … only if necessary and only if will be requested. It is in the European regulation. When a state aid for mining is requested, for example, then you must enter with the respective mine in a closing program and, under the circumstances, 2018, at least from our point of view, is not an acceptable time frame”, Gerea said.
He said that the response delivered by the IMF delegation is that “they will support us as much as they can do”, writes Agerpres, according to economica.net.
“This is exactly the answer that they could give in this moment, that they will support us, those with whom we discussed today may do it as much as they helped us so far, and those with whom we had discussions at DG Competition, at DG Climate. We had, let us say, a good partnership, materialized in state aid measures which were approved. We, then, have to stick to the agreed timetable, to purchase CO2 certificates and also do the absolutely necessary steps at EC level”, said Minister of Energy.
The European Commission approved a rescue aid in April for Hunedoara Energy Complex, considering that it complies with EU rules on state aid and, in addition, Romania has committed to submit a restructuring plan designed to ensure the future viability of EC Hunedoara, if the company will not be able to repay the rescue aid after six months.
Following losses in 2013 and 2014, EC Hunedoara is facing serious liquidity problems. Romania will grant EC Hunedoara short-term loans enabling the company to pay its creditors and to maintain its operating activities until it is able to present a restructuring plan.
