Minister of Environment Iuliana Cantaragiu admits that the extension of the environmental permit for the Rybnita steel works is a compromise solution reached with the Transnistrian authorities for obtaining a lower price of electricity. She said that the works already submitted the application for an environmental permit valid for a period of five years. Among the conditions for issuing this is the payment of an environmental tax into the state budget, IPN reports.
Under the Commission for Exceptional Situations’ decision, the period of validity of the environmental permit for the Rybnita steel works was extended until June 30. At the same time, Energocom extended the contract for the purchase of electrical energy with the Kuchurgan Power Plant at the price of 59.90 USD/MWh. The minister of environment said this is a bargain that enables Moldova to benefit from cheaper electrical energy.
“The positive side is that for the first time in the last 30 years, we discuss environmental issues with the Transnistrian side. We requested all the companies from the left side of the Nistru to comply with the legislation of the Republic of Moldova and to work based on permits. They realize that if they want to have export or import relations with the European Union, they must work based on the environmental legislation. The Rybnita steel works partially did this. It was accredited according to the international environmental standard ISO 14000. We already conducted the first environmental inspection. Our inspectors worked there and, after the inspection, presented a list of drawbacks that need to be removed. The negotiations centered on the fact that we needed electrical energy, while they needed a permit issued as swiftly as possible,” Iuliana Cantaragiu stated in the talks show “Résumé with Ileana Pîrgaru” on RliveTV.
After the environmental permit expires, the Rybnita steel works could be issued with a permanent permit for a five-year period. This will happen if the environmental inspectors determine that the enterprise meets all the requirements stipulated by the national legislation.
“The works submitted an application to obtain an environmental permit. This implies the observance of the norms of capturing emissions, the payment of an environmental tax into the state budget. These are the conditions for the plant to be authorized to work. An environmental permit is normally issued for a period of five years. According to the legislation of the Republic of Moldova, the validity of the permit is five years and this applies to all the enterprises in the country. If all the conditions are met and the result of all the procedures is positive, the permit will be issued for five years,” stated Iuliana Cantaragiu.
According to the portal anticorupție.md, the Rybnita steel works is one of the main backers of the Transnistrian region. A report by the self-styled local ministry of economic development shows that the works’ sales at the end of 2021 totaled over US$432 million, which is almost half of the value of the region’s exports.
