Minister of Finance and Economy Mladjan Dinkic has said that Russian company Uralvagonzavod has not bid at a tender for the Smederevo steel mill and that the public invitation, which expires Thursday, will not be extended.
Dinkic told reporters he will now probably activate plan B, which he will present to the president and prime minister on Friday, along with the company management and unions, because “Smederevo must not shut down.”
The minister said the government is still open to all options and several companies from different countries are interested in cooperation, but did not name them.
Dinkic also said the government is still in touch with Uralvagonzavod.
The first tender for the sale of the steelworks was announced in April last year and was then extended several times in order to attract more potential investors.
The government has said it intends to sell 75 percent and hold on to 25 percent of the shares in Zelezara.
It purchased the steel mill in January 2012 from U.S. Steel for one dollar, after the company suffered losses due to the declining price of steel on the world market.
In March 2003, U.S. Steel bought the mill, then named Sartid, for USD 23 million.
Source Tanjug
