MOSCOW (MRC) -- Romania’s government may ask for an insolvency procedure for Oltchim SA (OLT), a state-owned unprofitable chemical company, following talks with the International Monetary Fund and the European Union, Bloomberg reported.
The Cabinet wants to restructure Oltchim and a 450 million- euro (USD599 million) debt to the state, without risking a sanction from the EU.
"Given the current economic problems Oltchim is facing, we have decided to start insolvency procedures. A request in this regard will be filed to a local court in Ramnicu Valcea. Furthermore, Oltchim’s board is to approve our decision today," said Romanian Minister for Economy and Commerce Varujan Vosganian during a government meeting.
The Romanian state holds a 54.8% stake in Oltchim, with Germany-based chemical producer PCC holding 18.3% and Cyprus-based Nachbar Services holding an additional 14.3%.
As MRC wrote earlier, the bid over Romanian state-owned chemical producer Oltchim was canceled on 1 October 2012. bidder – Romanian television station owner Dan Diaconescu - had not provided documents to prove he had the money to purchase the majority stake.
Romania was hoping to sell Oltchim to a strategic Russian investor, but only two Romanian bidders and the minority Oltchim shareholder PCC showed up at the auction.
Based at Ramnicu Valcea in southern Romania, Oltchim produces caustic soda, petrochemicals, agrochemicals, inorganic products and building materials, including insulating PVC for panels, doors and window frames.
As per MRC, Oltchim at the present does not supply PVC to the Russian market. Insignificant amounts of PVC-S had been delivered from 2005 to 2009 and on average made 1,900 tonnes per year.
MRC