Walesa sees little chance of saving Gdansk shipyard
PR dla Zagranicy
Nick Hodge
09.10.2013 10:02
Former president Lech Walesa has said he sees just 5 percent chance of saving the Gdansk shipyard where the Solidarity trade union was born.
Gdansk shipyard. Photo: wikipedia
Walesa was invited to mediate between shareholders in the company after bailout talks collapsed between the chief shareholder, Ukrainian Sergei Taruta, and the state-owned Industry Development Agency (ARP).
“A 5 percent chance is not very much, but the situation had been worse, and we're going along a better track now,” he said after meeting Roman Galezewski, chairman of the Solidarity trade union's branch at the shipyard.
“I will do everything possible to save the shipyard,” Walesa assured.
Steel magnate Sergei Taruta, who owns a 75 percent stake in the company, stated earlier that he is prepared to pay about 80 million zloty (19 million euro) of the 180 million zloty (42.8 million euro) he says is needed to save the shipyard.
Meanwhile, Galezewski has revealed that Taruta may attend a meeting in Warsaw on Thursday, when the shareholders will take up the talks again.
The situation has deteriorated at the shipyard to the extent that since May, workers have only been paid wages in gradual instalments. (nh)
Source: PAP