The Government seeks with the measure to preserve employment and the continuity of production at the Isab-Lukoil plant, since it ran the risk of having to stop due to the embargo on the importation of crude oil from Moscow
Italy placed the Russian oil giant Lukoil’s refinery located in the Sicilian town of Priolo under provisional state supervision to prevent its closure and guarantee energy supply, a government source told AFP on Thursday.
The Isab-Lukoil refinery, one of the largest in Europe, ran the risk of having to paralyze its production due to the entry into force on December 5 of the embargo on the import of Russian crude by sea, imposed by the European Union (EU). ) as a sanction for the invasion of Ukraine.
The Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, has expressed her “satisfaction” with the decision taken regarding the refinery since the intervention of the Government will make it possible to “guarantee the continuity of work.” Not in vain, in Isab-Lukoil and the associated companies some 10,000 employees work.
“The emergency intervention aims to protect both a strategic national energy pole and employment levels so important for Sicily and the entire country,” Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said in a statement. A government source specified that this “provisional administration” will last a maximum of one year.
Fearing sanctions, European banks stopped financing Isab-Lukoil’s operations and providing it with the necessary guarantees to import oil from other countries. The refinery has an annual refining capacity of 10 million tons of crude and supplies around 20% of the country’s needs.
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