PM strikes deal with protesting miners

Polish PM Ewa Kopacz reached an agreement with the miners protesting against closing down the unprofitable mines run by Europe's biggest coal producer Kompania Węglowa. According to the deal, the mines won't be shut, but instead either restructured, sold to potential investors, or transferred to the newly formed Nowa Kompania Węglowa. “We saved those who work in Kompania Węglowa from a terrible thing - a bankruptcy and losing all their jobs,” Kopacz said in a joint statement with the leader of local Solidarity labor union Dominik Kolorz. Worst performing mines, which faced liquidation lost PLN 1.9 billion over the past three years. Potential investors, interested in acquiring these mines include construction materials producer Krzysztof Domarecki and state-controlled utilities. “The most important thing is the targeted capital merger with the energy sector,” Kolorz said. Protests in Silesia started earlier this month after the government's announced its rescue plan for the ailing mining sector, which would shut down four worst performing mines leaving some 5,000 miners without jobs.