Eurallumina: «Without unlocking, 1,000 jobs and 300 million in investments are at risk»
Silvio Lai's question to the ministers
The situation of the Eurallumina of Portoscuso is at the center of a question presented by the dem deputy Silvio Lai to the ministers of Economy and Finance and of Economic Development.
«The government should intervene on the blockade of Rusal and thus avoid the real risk of compromising the project to restart the Eurallumina plant. At stake - thunders Lai - there are investments of 300 million euros and 1000 direct and induced jobs".
The project for the restart of the plant establishes the total conversion of the gas refinery and is based on the "Virtual Pipeline" system for the methanization of Sardinia, envisaged by the Sardinia Prime Ministerial Decree. The challenge of the Decree by the Region is a first critical issue to be overcome. Secondly, there is the difficulty of completing the excavation work in the port of Portoscuso in time and of signing the addendum to the Eurallumina memoranda of understanding of 2009 and 2012 as soon as possible.
The further obstacle concerns a provision signed last May 8 by the Financial Security Committee of the Ministry of Economy and Finance which froze the shares of Eurallumina because, in its opinion, they can be traced back to Oleg Vladimirovich Deripaska , a Russian entrepreneur. The provision would not take into account the subsequent changes in the shareholding composition of the company which does not allow Deripaska to have control over it.
But the effects of the freeze cause the impossibility of proposing the investment in current conditions and the difficulty of stipulating contracts with engineering companies for the drafting of operational projects as well as contracts for the supply of other services. "The blocking of the operation of the current account, with long procedures to be able to make payments of salaries and suppliers, also constitutes a problem for workers and suppliers in obtaining their compensation", concludes Lai who asks the ministers to intervene for a review or a withdrawal of the measure, thus avoiding the risk of seeing an investment of 300 million euros which would involve 1000 workers in an area that cannot afford to lose employment opportunities of this magnitude.
(Unioneonline/ss)
