Finance Minister Adrian Cachiu said on Thursday evening when asked by Euronews whether there was a possibility that Petrom would become a nationalized company again, that a different approach was possible and that he believed the state should make some investments in the private capital system, by creating a bailout financing line some companies, News.ro reports.

He gave an example when the state got involved in Fondul Proprietatea, having already bought 43% of the investment.

“Regarding energy companies, a different approach is possible. From my point of view, there are two issues that will determine the future of humanity – energy and food, or should states become more involved in controlling resources, not necessarily in the form of ownership, but in a form in which they can have no security risks citizens in terms of how these resources are used,” Adrian Cachiu said when asked by Euronews on Thursday whether Petrom was likely to become a nationalized company again one day.

The Minister of Finance also said that the Romanian state should invest in several companies.

“We didn’t stay. You know that I was criticized when the state became a shareholder of Fondul Proprietatea, I was criticized for what the Romanian state did not do for 20 years. The Romanian state has already bought 43% of the investment, and I think the state should invest in a few more companies, under the private equity system, to create a financing line to save companies, including private companies, not only in this field of energy or food. (…) The state can come and demand, for example, a guarantee of a loan against the value of the shares and, if the loan is not paid, become a shareholder of this company,” Cachiu added.

On OMV Petrom’s statement that it does not plan to pay solidarity tax for the 2022 financial year: this was a stock exchange announcement

Regarding OMV Petrom saying it did not plan to pay solidarity tax for the previous financial year, Cachiu said “it was a stock market announcement”. “This extraordinary resolution is not directed directly against any company. We are talking about all companies that are active in this area,” the social democrat added.

“I make a distinction between a tax announcement and a marketing announcement. This is an announcement on the exchange expressing an opinion. Fiscal data will be available at the end of February, other data at the end of June, when the tax return and payment are submitted. This emergency order does not contradict or directly affect any company. It is about all companies that work in this area.

Many statements that we will invest in Romania, and less facts, and we see that we do not have enough energy, we see that we are dependent on imports. Therefore, we want a more specific answer. Here I would wait and have no doubt. For companies in the energy sector, this is excessive taxation. Here, one more retaxation tool is added to the others. It’s not about anyone paying tax.

These allowances are intended to offset the cost of bills and energy investments. So eventually they return to the sector. We see what happens if you are dependent on one sector. Dependency means price fluctuations,” Adrian Cacu explained on Thursday at Euronews Romania.

When asked if he would then have to pay OMV, the finance minister replied: “After all, the data does not lie and cannot be changed,” News.ro reported.