Poland to merge state-controlled coal mines

Poland’s Energy Minister Krzysztof Tchórzewski said that state-owned coal mines KHW and PGG should be merged. “Such a merger will ensure that KHW mines can continue to function and that miners will have stable employment,” he said. The merger will also result in synergies in technical, market and financial areas, improve investment possibilities, increase efficiency of deposit and equipment management, boost both companies' competitive position, enable more flexible response to price changes and reduce costs, the ministry argued. Integration of KHW into PGG is "another element of streamlining the Polish mining sector," the statement read. The details of such a plan will be announced by the end of January.