Larco must be supported and modernised and all workers rehired

Question for written answer E-001373/2024
to the Commission
Rule 144
Kostas Papadakis (NI), Lefteris Nikolaou-Alavanos (NI)

The New Democracy government is moving full speed ahead with its dangerous plans to close mining company Larco and take jobs away following the rejection of the application for interim measures, which was submitted by workers who were asking to keep their jobs.

Larco is a strategically important business due to the high natural, material and technical value of its infrastructure and the fact that it is the only company in the EU with domestically owned nickel and cobalt deposits.

A premeditated crime for which New Democracy bears responsibility and which is taking place with the complicity of all previous governments (Syriza and Pasok), is being committed on the pretext that Larco is allegedly a financial drain on the Greek State. Everyone contributed to the process of discrediting and undermining the company's capabilities through the government's 'liquidation while in operation' plan.

In view of this, what is the Commission's position concerning:

• 1.Larco employees' call for the company to become operational again and for all of its existing experienced staff to be hired back, with no layoffs?
• 2.The fact that the only nickel and cobalt deposits and the only pyrometallurgical plant in the EU are being sold off chiefly because of the EU's 'green and digital transition' strategy, prioritising profit and the competitiveness of business groups?
• 3.The fact that the government's claim that the company is a financial drain comes also in the context of the outrageous fine for breach of State aid rules, which was ordered by the European Court of Justice following the Commission's referral?

Submitted: 17.7.2024