Poland’s state companies will no longer buy coal in Russia, State Asset Minister Jacek Sasin declared on February 6.
“I can say that I have completed negotiations with the executives of state companies on the issue and they will no longer import coal. I can say that this is not only about Russian coal. It was imported from South America, Columbia, Mozambique, the U.S,” he said.
Poland imported 18-19 million tons of coal in 2019, and Russia accounted for more than 70%. Weglokoks and PGE Capital Group were the largest importers.
A miners’ trade union has recently blocked a railway line in protest against Russian coal imports. Other miners’ trade unions plan a warning strike for February 17 and a street protest campaign in Warsaw demanding higher wages and an end to declining local coal output. (Prime/Ukrainian metal)