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27. 07. 09. - 16:00

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27. 07. 09. - 16:00

Romanian Govt Mulls EC Approval To Cancel Debts Of Thermal Pwr Plants, Compensate Other Debts

Michael Leidig

Romania’s Government wants to ask for the European Commission’s approval to cancel the debts accumulated by 35 thermal power plants until 2009, which exceed 1 billion lei (EUR1=RON4.2156), and to compensate their other debts and those of local transport companies up to a limit of RON185 million.

The thermal power plants have to recover a total RON1.12 billion. They have to receive RON507.2 million from the population, RON113.8 million from the economic operators, RON44.6 million from the public institutions, and RON458.8 million from the local budget.

Their debts reach RON534.1 million to the state budget, RON32 million to the local budget and RON1.62 billion to fuel suppliers, thus the total debts amount to RON2.19 billion.

The remainder of RON1.067 billion accounts for the losses the units have registered, official sources told MEDIAFAX.

The list of the units whose debts will be cancelled includes CET Arad, Termoficare Pitesti, CET Bacau, Termon Onesti, Electrocentrale Oradea, Termica Botosani, CET Brasov, Ecoterm Fagaras, CET Braila, RAM Buzau, Energoterm Resita, Regia de Termoficare Cluj-Napoca, RADET Constanta, Rominservices Therm Mangalia, Edilmed Medgidia, Termica Targoviste, Regia de Termoficare Craiova, Apaterm Galati, Uzina Termoelectrica Giurgiu, Uzina de Agent Termic si Alimentare cu Apa Motru, Goscom Miercurea Ciuc, Acvacalor Brad, Electrocentrale Deva, CET Iasi, Energomur Targu Mures, IGO Caracal, Dalkia Termo Ploiesti, Servicii Comunale Radauti, Termica Suceava, Terma Serv Alexandria, Calor Turnu Magurele, Colterm Timisoara, Termica Vaslui, CET Govora, Enet Focsani.

Many of these units were included in the government emergency ordinance approved by the former Government in 2006 on cancelling debts of 34 companies.

The sum will be updated, and the last three years’ losses will be added simultaneously with the commencement of the procedures to notify the European Commission on the state-aid scheme, the quoted sources said.

Three years ago, the Government decided by emergency ordinance still under parliamentary debate to exempt 34 companies in the energy and transport sectors from the payment of EUR8.3 billion in taxes to the state budget.

According to the quoted sources, the Executive plans to compensate other debts of the thermal plants and of local passenger transport companies with the money they have to receive from the local budget, under the threshold of RON185.6 million.

The list includes the companies Voltrans Sebes, Compania de Transport Public Arad, Transport Public Bacau, Perla Turism SLR Slanic Moldova, Transmixt Bistrita, Transport Urban Ramnicu Sarat, Prescom Resita, RATL Cluj-Napoca, RATL Dej, RATL Turda, Ecosil SRL Covasna, Transport Public Targoviste, Transport Craiova, Transurb Galati, Tirius Transtur SRL Deva, Manolache Transcom Auto SRL Hunedoara, ZMK SLR Petrosani, Londo SRL Aninoasa, BV Dasler SRL comuna Criscior, Transport Privat Slobozia, Transbus Fetesti, RATP Iaşi, Serviciul Transport Voluntari, Urbis Baia Mare, Mega Travel SRL Piatra Neamt, Nistor Trans Piatra Neamt, IGO Caracal, Loctrans Slatina, Transurban Satu Mare, Transurbana Rosiori de Vede, Regia de Transport Timisoara, Meridian 22 Lugoj and Transurb Vaslui.

"(…) The compensation will be done after the Competition Council expresses its view, so that the sums proposed for the compensation are not considered state aid," the sources said.

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