PM Ponta on Lukoil refinery: I say nothing about the criminal file, I only wish to save jobs

Prime minister Victor Ponta said on Saturday in Brasov (northwest of Bucharest) that he could not say anything about the criminal investigation on the Lukoil Ploiesti refinery, yet he added that the utmost thing is to save the jobs and the horizontal industry.

"It's an extremely serious, important matter which I've discussed with (Economy) minister Constantin Nita, with other ministers and institutions of the Romanian state. On one hand, obviously we cannot say anything regarding the criminal investigation and have no right to interfere either. If criminal facts of tax evasion are found, they must be sanctioned, obviously. On the other hand, — so, I'm not talking about the investigation, because it is not the Government's business — the refinery means 2,500 jobs, means some other thousands of jobs, indirectly. For instance, (the combined chemical plant) Oltchim has just made it to a plus. Yet Oltchim depends on products coming from Lukoil. We'll have a very thorough analysis and I wish very much to save the jobs and the horizontal industry The rest, the criminal file, it's not my business to say anything about it", the Prime minister said.

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