Đukanović pointed out that no serious investor from abroad will come if the state does not guarantee him a long-term contract for a favorable supply of electricity.
"Steel industry needs a minimum investment of 30, 40, maybe even 50 million, at the start, in order to be able to operate normally and be competitive. For the future and a bright perspective, much larger investments and a good strategy are needed, and not to act irresponsibly like so far," he pointed out.
Milutinović said that Montenegro needs Željezara and every large system that is a generator of employment and a carrier of development.
When asked whether she will ensure that Davidović and the current owner of the Ironworks hold a meeting by Friday, she said that the Government will be available for "everything related to foreign countries".
"But it will be a conversation between two private companies that probably won't ask for any kind of suggestions and government participation in that kind of conversation," concluded Milutinović.
State aid to a company operating in the steel production business is possible under extremely controlled conditions, Milutinović pointed out.
Đurković said that the workers are only interested in the Government helping them enter into cooperation with Tosjali Holding, and that the company reaches an agreement with a potential investor.
Đukanović said that the price for the purchase of Željezara should be lower than ten years ago, because there is currently no production.
Davidović said that he has a plan for 700 employees.
"We will enable the electric arc furnace to work, the line to work for the forge. This is enough in the beginning to not reduce the existing number of workers, to increase wages," he said.
When that is over, as he said, what was destroyed must be returned. "We have to produce iron that is used for construction jobs," said Davidović.
When asked how much he was willing to invest, he said it was "as much as the rolling mill costs" for continuous casting. "A good rolling mill that can meet the capacity costs between 15 and 18 million," he added.
"It would be logical that the price of that capacity should not be significantly higher than what I let them, at the request of the prime minister, ministers and others, to take over the company," stated Davidović.
He also announced one, as he said, exclusive information.
"I sold my factory a few days ago and brought people from around the world, the world's largest company that will produce the best drinks in the world in Nikšić. And they will employ 200 people in the first round".
Đurković said that previous privatizations had "one common mistake"
"High-quality technical work was not done due diligence. We don't have a commission that monitored the realization of planned investments, no one was involved in the analysis of the technical and technological processes in the company, the analysis of the achieved volume of production, production costs..."
Milutinović believes that the solution is for Davidović, as a potential buyer, to start talks with the current owner of Željezara regarding the takeover of the company, saying that for this he will have the support of the Government in part of its powers.
Đukanović replied that it is the Government's obligation to solve the problem. "If you manage to solve it, possibly buy it, and then offer it to an investor on the best terms."
"We must respect each other's authority and respect the law, the state cannot come in and buy the factory," Milutinović pointed out.
Milutinović repeated that there is a sales contract that cannot be terminated.
She added that there is an investment contract, which has not been respected. "That contract does not have a state protection clause," she pointed out.
She said that the management in Turkey told Minister Đurović that they "are not offering the factory at a high price compared to how much they bought it, and partly invested in the previous period."
According to information from the ministry, 12 million euros were invested in the period of 10 years from the takeover of the factory, Milutinović said.
"They bought one stove, that's the only investment," added Davidović.
Milutinović said that the failure to fulfill the obligations assumed by the investor was an alarm.
"But we must be aware of the fact that the property was sold to a private owner. He has a contract on the purchase and sale of the property, which cannot be terminated," she said.
Davidovic said that he "knows it's not like that".
"I won't say that I have a contract, but I have a contract and I read it well. There is an annex that you should have read, not me".
Milutinović said that Tosjali was the only bidder at the tender, to which Davidović told her that he was not "misleading the people".
"We paid one and a half million euros, I will bring the confirmation tomorrow. It was that much because the initial price was 15 million euros".
He said that they bid in the Commercial Court. "No one could come there without paying 1,5 million," he added.
Davidović believes that, due to unfulfilled promises, there is enough reason to terminate the contract with the owner of Željezara.
"And if we, as the only realistic bidder, move from second place to first, or if the state says - we will terminate the contract, we will call for a tender, so whoever wins, good luck," he added.
Đukanović said that it was surprising that the factory had not been working for 14 months and that "no one from the Ministry and the Government had thought to ask the owners if they wanted to sell the company."
"Now they can blackmail the state and say - we are asking for 100 million. If you don't want it, we can do whatever we want," he pointed out.
He does not believe that much can be done for the benefit of the state without a large investment on its part. "There is no protective clause, hundreds of millions of euros have gone to the detriment of the state in 20 years," added Đukanović.
Milutinović said that Minister Goran Đurović was informed in the talks with Tosjali Holding from Turkey that they "definitely have not given up on selling the factory" and that they have made a final decision that production will not continue.
Milutinović said that Tosčelik's plans were presented to the authorities last Sunday by the executive director, that is, that the activity will be focused on metal trade.
At the time, there was no talk of a sale, she added.
"They informed the minister that the entire procedure of termination of the employment contract will be carried out in accordance with the Labor Law. This was a novelty, because in the previous period in all other companies the process went differently - bankruptcy is introduced, workers are left without rights, usually there is no property, and their claims remain unpaid," said Milutinović.
The company, he adds, explained that they have been operating negatively for several years and that is why they stopped production last year and that they have been paying employees at the level of 14 percent of their wages for 90 months.
"The minister then insisted that one of the representatives of the Government be at the meeting with the union, to follow up on the situation, but he was informed that the management of Tosjali Holding in Turkey did not agree with that."
Davidović said that he has the support of all workers, without reservation, to take over Željezara.
He asked Đurković if it was true that he told him that, which he confirmed.
"Everything we earn, we will give to the workers for wages," claimed Davidović.
When asked how much he was willing to pay for Željezara, Davidović said that it was a business secret.
Željezara Nikšić was never sold, it was stolen, said Davidović.
He said that it is not true that Toscelik once made a higher offer than Nexan.
"The prime minister told us at the time that we were not mature enough to invest as much as the people from Tosčelik fraudulently said. Rather, they would invest 35 million in the first two years, that production would be 300.000 tons, that Željeznice Crna Gore will not have the capacity to bring in raw materials and take away finished products, and that the total product will be 550 million."
He recalled that he said in the Načisto show that "it has nothing to do with life".
"We were told that the then President of Turkey and President Vujanović, as well as the two Prime Ministers Erdogan and Lukšić, agreed on a deal. You know that when the state interferes in the economy, that economy is doomed," said Davidović.
Đurković said that, after the latest management decision, Željezara is no longer a production company after 66 years.
"We are all on the layoff list and the company's activity code has been changed," he said.
The negotiating team representing 250 employees of Željezara has only one request - the continuation of the production process, Đurković pointed out.
Đurković said that there were certain pressures and obstructions for him not to appear in tonight's show.
The editor and presenter of "Reflektor" Aleksandra Mugoša said that they tried to arrange a conversation with the representative of Tosčelik's management, but that the answer did not arrive.
Former Prime Minister Igor Lukšić was also contacted, during whose mandate a Turkish investor bought Željezara. He said that he has not followed the situation for a long time and that he is not in a position to talk about tonight's topic.
What is the fate of Nikšić Željezara and what are the workers, management of Tosčelik and state representatives currently negotiating?
What did the Turkish investor fulfill from what was promised in the previous 10 years, that is, since 2012, when he bought the factory out of bankruptcy for about 15 million euros?
Who is interested in buying Zeljezara and does the state have an interest in the production continuing?
The guests of "Reflektor" are Renata Milutinović - director of the Directorate for Industrial Development in the Ministry of Economic Development, Miodrag Davidović - businessman, Ljubiša Đurković - employee and member of the Negotiating Team and Goran Đukanović - consultant for metal industry and energy.
See more:
Download the app and follow the news
FOLLOW US ON
