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Medved: Ministry Will Do Everything It Can to Replace Interblue Group
Thursday 26 November 2009 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, November 26 (TASR) - The Environment Ministry will do everything possible in order to change its business partner, which is currently Interblue Group, when it comes to further sales of carbon-dioxide emission quotas, minister Jozef Medved told journalists on Thursday.
The Interblue Group last year bought 15 million tonnes of emissions from Slovakia, with the related contract allowing it to buy another 35 million tonnes by 2012. Prime Minister Robert Fico announced earlier this month that Slovakia won't continue to do business with Interblue, even if this causes legal disputes. At the same time, the Opposition claims that Interblue is asking for another 8 million tonnes as early as this year.
Environment Ministry State Secretary Jaroslav Jadus said in October that the contract contains a clause that doesn't allow for any unilateral termination of the contract. It would be possible to cancel only Interblue's right to buy additional quotas, said Jadus, who also reported that the ministry is attempting to negotiate the cancellation of the contract.
Medved reported on the latest developments vis-a-vis the Interblue Group's payment of an extra €15 million to be used on so-called Green Projects. Medved said that the ministry on Tuesday sent a report on setting up a Green Investment Scheme and on placing the Government's heat-insulation programme within this. The money should be paid in two stages - by November 27 and by December 4.
Slovakia last year sold Interblue 15 tonnes of emissions for €5.05 per tonne, with Interblue obliged to pay another €1 per tonne for Green Projects. Neighbouring countries sold their emissions quotas directly to other countries at considerably higher rates.
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