Pechiney writes to the Government

The leading aluminium maker in Europe, Pechiney, has recently sent a letter to Romanian PM Adrian Nastase, attempting to explain why its bid for Alro was much more interesting and “better” for the development of the Romanian company.

“If the capital increase goes as planned and the state is no longer able to sell the controlling interests to a strategic industrial investor, Pechiney will lose some of its interest in Alro privatisation,” Chrystele Invins, spokesperson for Pechiney, maintained.

“Pechiney has been Alro’s technology and equipment supplier ever since it was set up, and will comply with the stipulated investment programme if it is awarded the contract. At the same time, Pechiney is planning to have Alprom’s output increased five times,” Invins added.

Pechiney officials had talks with the Romanian authorities at the end of last year when they expressed interest in Alprom, as well. Pechiney, however, did not want to buy stock in Alro or Alprom, when it was put up for sale by Romanian Investment Company last week.

Marco International did, though. “We do not have an answer to the letter of the French company yet and we have had a lot of such letters, because there are many companies interested in Alro privatisation. We are expecting the audit results at Alro and only then a decision about the privatisation will be made,” Government’s spokesperson Claudiu Lucaci maintained.