Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu stated on Friday in Oradea the he does not agree with the privatisation contracts concluded so far for oil and gas companies being renegotiated, warning that the reconsideration of these contracts will negatively affect Romania’s relations with investors.
„I am no supporter of the contracts being renegotiated. This is not because I would consider the contracts to be excellent for Romania, but because this would offer a devastating signal to the Romanian and international business community,” Tariceanu told journalists at a press conference in Oradea.
He explained that if Romanian authorities started renegotiating the privatisation contracts, investors would think 20 times before ever coming to Romania, adding that there should not be created the impression that political factors would be influencing business analyses in Romania.
„We have been striving for years to succeed and investment will probably exceed 8 billion euros this year. Our interest is in attracting investment and investors seek legislative stability. If we started changing the things we would lose all credibility so hardly won,” said Tariceanu.
He added that all the privatisations in the energy field from now on should be performed with more responsibility.
The prime minister pointed out that, although some are forcing a direct connection between Romania’s accession to the European Union and gas prices, there would be no connection whatsoever between the two.
„I am clearly stating that there is no connection between them. If world prices go up, they cannot stay put in Romania, because this is a market economy. When world prices fall, they will fall in Romania as well,” said Tariceanu.
He also said there is a practice gaining ground in the European Union as far as the energy and fuel market is concerned that he would also like to introduce in Romania. He explained that the EU member states negotiate with oil and gas suppliers over subsidising household consumers when the profits of such companies exceed certain levels.
„When profits are derived from the supply of these products to individual consumers, a profit margin is negotiated with oil and gas operators and part of these profits are used to subsidise prices for individual consumption,” Tariceanu explained.
He added that price subsidies for thermal energy and gas, which might be extended to include those consumers using wood and coal for heating will be increased. At the same time the ceiling of 350 RON per family member qualifying for heating subsidies will be raised to 500 RON.
President Traian Basescu on Wednesday asked the Supreme Council for National Defence to convene in session on November 22 to tackle energy issues.
The agenda of the session includes the presentation of the privatisation contracts of Petrom and energy distribution companies, including a privatisation consulting study.
Also on Wednesday, Basescu announced having asked Minister of Economy and Trade Codrut Seres not to accelerate the privatisation of energy supply companies until after an analysis of the outcomes of the privatisations so far in the energy field has been performed.
ROMPRES
