Businesses from the southern
Italian city of Taranto said Monday they are fearful that bill
payments will be blocked if the government continues its plans
to take over the ill-fated ILVA steel plant there.
"There are 5,000 households and the industrial base of the
city (which are) at risk," said Vincenzo Cesareo, head of the
local Confindustria business employer association.
Some 250 business sent a delegation to meet with Federica
Guidi, minister of economic development, to press their case for
guarantees that bills incurred by the steel plant will be paid.
Cesareo said that about 200 million euros in bills are
owing, including debts incurred in environmental improvements
required at the ILVA plant which has been shrouded in
controversy related to serious pollution it has caused in the
area.
Years of pollution have been linked to unusually high rates
of cancers there.
A new debate arose after a meeting on Christmas Eve of
Premier Matteo Renzi's cabinet, where he announced plans to take
over ILVA, one of Europe's largest steel plants.
Renzi has said the plan is for the government, which has
been managing the steel mill through a special commissioner, to
own ILVA only temporarily to get its affairs in order before
reselling to the right bidder.
That has raised fresh concerns for companies in Taranto,
the southern port city where ILVA is based.
"We appreciate the efforts of the government and the
current management but to date we have no guarantees…we cannot
work for free," said Cesareo.
Meanwhile, a similar message was sent in a letter to Renzi
from Taranto Mayor Ippazio Stefano, who said some 3,000 workers
have not been adequately paid and they should be given the
highest priority as ILVA creditors.
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