The winner of a competition to take
over troubled steel group ILVA will be adjudicated on Monday
June 5, extraordinary commissioner Piero Gnudi said Thursday.
Trade unions confirmed that an industry ministry decree will
be issued Monday.
Arcelor Mittal of India and Marcegaglia of Italy are one of
two consortia bidding for the ILVA group including a loss-making
and polluting plant in Taranto, Puglia.
The other consortium is also Indian-Italian, led by Sajjan
Jindal's JSW Steel and also featuring Arved, CDP, and the Del
Vecchio group.
Workers at the Taranto plant struck for four hours on
Thursday morning to protest against thousands of layoffs
planned by potential buyers.
This was despite a statement from the industry ministry
saying "no one will be left without protection".
On Tuesday both consortia still in with a chance of taking
over the steelmaker were reported to be looking at 5-6,000
redundancies.
The strike coincided with a meeting at the industry ministry
to discuss the industrial plans presented by groups interested
in bidding for ILVA.
Earlier this month, government commissioners running ILVA
extended from May 30 to June 23 the deadline for bids to be
presented to buy the troubled steelmaker.
State-controlled investment bank Cassa Depositi e Prestiti
(CDP) has been meeting with various companies interested in
joining it in rescuing ILVA.
Last week the Arcelor Mittal-Marcegaglia consortium was
reported to have won the competition, although Industry Minister
Carlo Calenda still has to make a final decision.
A court this year declared ILVA insolvent, with debt totaling
nearly three billion euros.
ILVA currently employs 14,220 workers, including 2,400 who
are on redundancy payment.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
