Poland aims to rescue coal mining industry

Photo: wikipedia

On Tuesday, Wojciech Kowalczyk, previously a deputy treasury minister, was named the government's representative for the restructuring of the sector.

He will be responsible for initiating and supervising activity that may help coal mines turn their losses around.

Kowalczyk will perform his new role as a secretary of state in the Ministry of Economy.

The creation of the post is just one of the measures that the Polish government has recently announced with the aim of helping the coal mining industry.

Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz travelled to Katowice on Tuesday to talk to miners holding a strike at Kompania Weglowa, the biggest sector company is Poland, which has been in the red for many months.

The protest ended shortly after her visit.

“We were assured that social dialogue will be continued on very difficult issues that have piled up in Kompania Weglowa and the remaining companies,” said Solidarity miners' union head Jaroslaw Grzesik.

On Monday, an agreement ending a similar strike was reached at another major coal miner, Katowicki Holding Weglowy.

Earlier this month, the lower house of parliament approved an amendment to energy law that introduces licences for the sale of imported coal in Poland.

The regulation is aimed at reducing the volume of cheaper, lower quality imported coal on the Polish market and thus increasing the volume of the fuel sold by Polish mining firms. (kw)