Bogdan Tudorache

Răzvan Nicolescu considers as correct the position of the government not to allow the Exxon project company to be alienated, in the case of the offshore gas project, except with the agreement of the Romanian state, according to a Facebook post.

“ExxonMobil is difficult to replace because it is the world’s most experienced organization in deep-sea offshore drilling projects. For this reason, if it remains, it is a good thing for the Romanian energy sector. I mean, nobody is better than them to do the project quickly, with low environmental risks and at the lowest costs… The reasons of the ExxonMobil exit are related to the company’s internal policy, but also to the hassles of PSD officials and MPs… The position of the current government that the departure should occur in the same way as the arrival is a very correct one. The government says: we want to agree on who is coming. In order to maintain a proper relationship with the state, it is important for Exxon as well as for the future buyer to take into account this request of the state,” said the former Minister of Energy.

“My preference for possible replacement goes all the way to a large US company that can do the project quickly. It is important for Romania to have the most consistent economic relations with the USA and to avoid that these exploits fall within the sphere of influence of a country that has, almost, a monopoly on gas supplies in the region. This is not about ideology, but about the need to ensure energy security through diversification and competition. If there are no big US companies interested, then at least one of the EU or UK should be… The most important thing for Romania is that these projects be realized quickly, to be successful, and the state to collect taxes, direct and indirectly, at a correct level.”