Officials of the Austrian company OMV could not get the Romanian government to change the offshore law or reduce the solidarity tax, reports HotNews.ro. In addition, the government’s statement shows that Prime Minister Marcel Čolaku told the OMV delegation that he hoped that the attitude of Austrian Prime Minister Karl Nehhammer, who will continue to completely unjustifiably oppose Romania’s accession to Schengen, would not affect the “image OMV”. Petrom in Romania”.

“We will continue to support the Neptun Deep project and move forward based on the current form of the offshore law, just as Romania will continue to support its case for joining the Schengen area, including in European courts, if Austria does not. to change his position,” he added, Prime Minister Çolaku said, according to a press release.

“This is the most important energy project, an investment of about 4 billion euros, which will give us the opportunity to become an energy player at the European level, developing reserves estimated at least 100 billion cubic meters of gas – the same. as well as the entire consumption of Romania for almost 10 years,” Colacu also said.

It will be recalled that on Monday, Marcel Choalcu met with the delegation of OMV Petrom headed by the CEO of the OMV group, Alfred Stern. PNL President Nicolae-Ionel Chuke, Deputy Prime Minister Marian Neatsu and National Mineral Resources Agency President Alexandru Petrescu also took part in the discussions.

OMV demanded changes to the offshore law and a reduction in the solidarity tax

HotNews.ro already wrote on Thursday that the head of OMV is arriving in Bucharest to discuss changes to the offshore law with government representatives. This visit took place in the context of a lawsuit against the Romanian state, claiming that the provisions of the offshore law would not be to the liking of the Austrian company. The Austrians want more freedom in exporting gas from the Black Sea to the West.

The change in the offshore law is not the only reason why the leaders of the Austrian company OMV are meeting on Monday with the Prime Minister Marcel Čolaku and the President of the Senate Nicolae Chuke. According to information obtained by HotNews.ro, Alfred Stern, head of OMV, came to Bucharest to negotiate a reduction in the solidarity tax, in addition to changing the offshore law, from €300 million to €150 million per year. . Instead, they will offer to abandon the lawsuit opened at the International Court of Arbitration in Paris – ICC against the Romanian state.

Cholaku, an attack on the Chancellor of Austria

Before the meeting with OMV representatives, Cholaku attacked the Chancellor of Austria. Prime Minister Marcel Călăcu announced again on Monday that if Austria votes against Romania joining the Schengen zone in December, the Romanian state will launch an attack on the European Court of Justice, an approach in which it wants to have as partners the European Council, Parliament and European Commission. who support Romania’s accession to Schengen.

Prime Minister Čolaku on Monday accused Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehhammer of hypocrisy regarding the vote against Romania’s accession to the Schengen zone.