"The announcement of the disengagement is unacceptable while a discussion table opened by the Government is underway".
There is great bitterness in the words of the President of the Region Christian Solinas on Glencore's step back from the Portovesme and San Gavino plants with the company sending two letters: the first officially announcing the shutdown of the San Gavino foundry , the second the stop of production in the lead lines in Portoscuso.
"In these weeks of continuous and unilateral search for dialogue - continues Solinas - it has clearly emerged that the issue of energy, which unites all Italian and European industries, has been used to cover an industrial strategy evidently different from the one illustrated by the company , which as revealed by ministerial sources, has benefited in the last 4 years from over 140 million euros of extraordinary support, in addition to tax relief for the reduction of energy costs».
«We are well aware - he continues - that the production of zinc has been increased in Spain, to the detriment of Portoscuso, and that the same has happened in Germany with lead. We do not accept that the multinational, deaf to any reasonable proposal that emerged in the numerous interlocutions in Sardinia and at the Ministry , put a tombstone on a strategic production line for Sardinia and for the whole country, as well as on the dignity and future of workers, just as a table of confrontation at the highest level is open . I confirm the total closeness of the Region to the workers of Portovesme and San Gavino, which will not abandon them and will guarantee not only the support of social safety nets, but also every action aimed at exploring possible solutions for the recovery of the plants".
The reaction of the general secretary of the Sardinian CGIL, Fausto Durante, was also harsh and indignant : «The process of disengagement by Glencore, given the technical characteristics of the plants, becomes more and more irreversible every day and a rapid and effective reaction by the Region and of the government to this umpteenth act by the company, which continues to agitate the issue of the cost of energy despite the fact that in the various meetings it has been revealed that that issue is not central but that there is a rebound of responsibility that is no longer tolerable".
(Unioneonline/D)