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Simon: Slovakia Unlikely to See Extra €15 million From Interblue
Wednesday 21 July 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, July 21 (TASR) - Agriculture and Environment Minister Zsolt Simon (Most-Hid) said on Wednesday that it doesn't look as though Slovakia will receive the extra €15 million that it was originally expecting from its carbon-dioxide emission trading with the Interblue Group.
"I personally think that Slovakia won't see the €15 million," said Simon at the Government session, adding that "it will be considered" whether Slovakia should take legal action to obtain the money, as the U.S.-based company has ceased to exist in the meantime.
Simon further said that he won't release an analysis of the deal that was drawn up under former environment minister Jozef Medved (Smer-SD), as this may influence the activities of Interblue Group Europe, the alleged legal successor of the Interblue Group.
Back in 2008, Slovakia sold 15 million tonnes carbon-dioxide emissions to the shady Interblue Group at €5.05 per tonne, even though surrounding countries charged significantly higher amounts for their quotas. Interblue itself later sold the quotas on to Japanese companies at €8 per tonne, according to former Interblue project manager Rastislav Bilas. The contract stipulated that Interblue would pay an additional €1 per tonne to contribute to so-called green projects in Slovakia. The company later said that it had transferred its rights to Interblue Group Europe, which is based in Switzerland.
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