Minister: Armenian government interested in re-launch of Nairit chemical giant
14.01.2015,
18:16
Armenia's government is interested in re-launch of Nairit chemical giant, Armenian Energy and Natural Resources Minister Yervand Zakharyan said Wednesday at a news conference while summarizing the results of the ministry's activity in 2014.
YEREVAN, January 14. /ARKA/. Armenia's government is interested in re-launch of Nairit chemical giant, Armenian Energy and Natural Resources Minister Yervand Zakharyan said Wednesday at a news conference while summarizing the results of the ministry's activity in 2014.
To assess the real situation at the Nairit, he said, it was decided to carry out a technical audit here.
«Financial resources for conducting the technical audit was provided by the World Bank as a grant without any credit obligations,» Zakharyan said, but refrained from mentioning any particular amount.
He also said that the World Bank has set up a group of experts, which will visit Armenia very soon and together with the plant's specialists will do whatever is necessary.
Conclusion is expected to be known before the end of February and after that the government will decide the fate of the plant.
«In the event of a positive decision, a scheme will be prepared for re-launching the plant,» the minister said adding that the government is interested in it very much and will make every effort for that.
He said that job cuts had been made here and new contracts had been signed with 478 staffers, which will deal with technical aspects of maintenance of the plant.
Zakharyan also said that if the plant is re-launched, the number of employees here may reach 600 or 700.
In his words, the government continues thinking over payment of the plant workers' backdated salaries.
In particular, appropriate money transfers were made in December, and in accordance with arrangement, workers will also receive salaries for another month before January 20.
He refrained from rating his predecessor's activity in this direction and just said that it was wrong to drag the matter for so long period of time.
Nairit was the only plant in the Soviet Union to produce chloroprene rubber. The plant was closed in 1989 for environmental reasons and resumed operating partially in 1992. In 2001, some production facilities were separated from the plant for producing chloroprene rubber and a debt-free enterprise based on them was established.
In 2006, 90% of Nairit’s shares were sold to British Rainoville Property Limited for $40 million. The remaining 10% belong to the Armenian government.
In late December 2013, Rosneft, Pirelli Tyre Armenia and Rosneft-Armenia signed a memorandum to produce butadiene-styrene rubber here. Tigran Sargsyan, former prime minister, said that Rosneft wanted to invest $400 million in the new plant. ---0---
