Radio Slovakia International

Environment Ministry Wants to Change Partner in Emissions Deal

RSI

Slovakia’s Environment Ministry announced it would do everything in its power to find a new business partner for the sale of redundant limits of emissions of greenhouse gases (AAUs). Environment Minister Jozef Medved held an informal meeting with journalists on Thursday and said that Slovakia wants to sell 35 million tons of carbon dioxide emission quotas still contracted by the U.S. company Interblue Group to someone else. The minister refused to provide more information on this issue as it concerns a business deal between Slovakia and a private company, to which the country originally agreed to sell 50 million tons of AAUs. Interblue Group purchased the first 15 million tons a year ago for EUR 5.05 per ton. According to a supplement to the contract, Slovakia should receive a one-euro bonus per ton within a year of quota transfer at the latest, for spending the money acquired in this deal on so-called GIS projects. Slovakia approved the GIS only last week and included thermal insulation of residential buildings covered from the money for sold quotas into the plan. The extra payment should be remitted in two sums. The first five million euros is expected to arrive on Friday and the remaining 10 million euros on December 4.