SNTR goes back to Agriculture Ministry

The Agriculture Ministry became again the owner of the National Company “Tutunul Romanesc” (Romanian Tobacco – SNTR), after the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ) did not extend the Court of Appeals’ decision to reinstate InterAgro company and postponed by a week the final decision concerning SNTR privatisation.

CSJ is to make a decision on October 6, after having analysed the supplementary documentation presented on Friday by both sides – Leaf Tobacco A Michailides and the Agriculture Ministry and InterAgro, respectively, the attorney of the Greek company, Romulus Popescu, told Ziarul Financiar.

“Until October 6, privatisation is null,” Popescu said.

Leaf Tobacco A Michailides contested at the Court of Appeals the result of SNTR privatisation tender, won by Romanian company InterAgro, claiming that it did not receive the company’s fiscal tasks’ certificate, the evaluation grid that led to the final decision made by the privatisation commission and the new minutes of the negotiation meetings. These documents’ transmission is an obligation stipulated by the Romanian legislation on privatisation.

The Government last week did not approve a decision draft referring to granting payment facilities to SNTR for the debts it has towards the state budget, following the objections formulated by the Finance minister, who argued that the company’s debts are “huge,” governmental sources say.

The Finance minister asked for further explanations from the Agriculture Ministry and required a clarification concerning the company’s situation following the conclusion of the existing litigation.