Yet another stalemate on the Portovesme dispute .
From the meeting at the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy (Mimit), which was attended by the undersecretary Fausta Bergamotto, the top management of Glencore and the CEO of Portovesme srl, Davide Garofalo, " positions emerged considered indispensable by both parties », reads a note from the ministry.
So another black smoke, the stalemate remains. In detail, the Swiss multinational - says Mimit - has not given certainties on the resumption of production activities , as requested by the Region and the Government.
«I officially asked for the resumption of production - explains the undersecretary Bergamotto - but the top management of the company did not agree . The problem is not only the cost of energy, but the need for the Glencore group to implement a conversion project that moves towards a circular economy , as those present said. We are ready to help them for the industrial conversion, but guarantees are needed for the present and for the future of the workers, which have not been highlighted to us at the moment".
The Swiss multinational, represented at the table by Aline Cote, global head of the zinc and lead department and Nick Papovic, global head of zinc and lead marketing, however reiterated that it did not want to abandon the industrial site . He proposed setting up a small working group with the ministry that could start after Easter and finish in a month. The feasibility study for the conversion of the plant for the production of latest generation batteries will be presented by the end of May, to then arrive - no later than 30 June - at the presentation of the project.
A new summit was convened at the ministry on 12 April : «To give continuity to the work started with the social partners and local institutions, a new discussion is essential also to evaluate what needs to be done in the light of the new proposal formulated by Glencore . Therefore we will convene a table at the ministry on April 12th ».
