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New Polish prime minister vows to support coal industry

World Coal,


Following a vote of confidence from Poland’s parliament, new prime minister Ewa Kopacz has vowed to continue her predecessor’s efforts to increase social spending and breathe new life into the country’s domestic coal industry.

Hit by plunging prices, Poland’s coal industry could certainly do with a helping hand. The country’s coal companies and miners, therefore, will welcome news that Kopacz will look to support them in this time of need.

“Security for Polish families will be the main goal of my cabinet,” Kopacz told parliament. She added that the coal industry “has to be protected against any unfair competition and regain profitability, while the cost of energy can’t ruin Polish households.”

Facing the prospect of climate targets enforced by the EU, Kopacz also said that she would not agree to any provisions that mean extra costs for our economy or higher energy prices for consumers.”

Kopacz called on all parties to support “the future of the Polish coal industry,” making it one of her government’s priorities.

This followed arguments from Tusk that Europe should rehabilitate coal’s tainted image and use it to loosen Russia’s grip on energy supplies. He suspended coal miners’ social-security obligations, bought mines through coal-trader Weglokoks SA and considered shielding the market from imports.

According to Bloomberg, Kopacz has continued the push, offering an olive branch to miners last month by dropping a plan to close Katowicki Holding Weglowy’s unprofitable Kazimierz-Juliusz coal pit by transferring it to state-owned entity and injecting 100 million zloty (US$ 30 million) of aid.

“We’re satisfied with what Kopacz said and we’ll watch to see whether her words are turned into action,” said Jaroslaw Grzesik, head of the Solidarity trade union’s miner section.

Edited from various sources by Sam Dodson

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/coal/02102014/polish-coal-industry-receives-prime-minister%E2%80%99s-support-1388/

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