Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has instructed the Minister of Energy and Coal Industry, Ihor Nasalyk, within three months starting from January 1, 2018 to draft and submit for consideration by the Cabinet of Ministers a step-by-step plan for the development of the state coal industry.
“We need to increase the volumes of extraction of Ukrainian coal, which is a No. 1 issue. Thus, in three months, starting from January next year there should be a clear and understandable outcome for the industry, miners, and government – I mean, the proposals and a step-by-step plan,” he said at a government meeting on December 27, adding that such a plan should be developed for each state-owned mine.
In turn, the energy minister said that the task “would be fulfilled,” and asked Groysman to support the initiative by the energy and finance ministries to allocate in 2018 UAH 1 billion ($35.8 million) in state guarantees to the state-run coalmines.
According to Nasalyk, the move will allow the mines to become breakeven.
In early October Groysman demanded that the Energy Ministry finalize the creating of the Strategy for the Development of the Coal Industry, which was to provide for an increase in coal output at the state-owned mines. The Cabinet approved of the strategy at a government meeting on October 20. At the same time, the Energy Ministry has not published any details regarding the document and neither has it made public a development plan for each mine, targets for increasing production and reducing losses, as well as the ways to achieve its goals. (UNIAN/Ukrainian metal)