Mihai Tanasescu, IMF: A solution for Termoelectrica would be to separate actives/ Privatization of energy companies can be done with the state as majority shareholder

I believe that a solution to increase the efficiency of Termoelectrica, the thermal plant, represents to separate the good actives from the bad ones and transform the new company into a viable one that would offer best quality services, Mihai Tanasescu, member of the IMF board declared in an online meeting with HotNews.ro readers.

The Romanian energy sector has a great potential of investments that can increase the economy in the upcoming years, the former Finance minister said. According to him, IMF in collaboration with the state monitors 150 state owned companies in order to improve their management and for a change bring some money to the budget.

It is possible, legally for the state to decide to freeze petrol prices but a better solution is dialogue and understanding between the Romanian state and the energy companies that would stabilize for a period the price until the petrol market will be more stable. The decrease of social contributions is doable if financial balance is maintained and the state can reach the fiscal deficit target for this year and 2012, Tanasescu said.

Both the IMF and EC took into account the wish of Romanian authorities to decrease social contributions and a decision will be made in the following quarters depending on the budgetary execution. IMF does not plan to privatize state companies, Tanasescu said. He said small pack of shares can be sold but the state can remain a majority shareholder.