The restart of blast furnace No. 5 at Liberty Galați, Liberty Steel's production facility in Romania, has been postponed once again, Vieția libere reports. The company's previously announced date of May 9 has also been postponed, leaving workers without clear information on when production will resume.
The date for the restart of the furnace, which has been closed since June 2024, has been changed several times. First, the planned opening after Easter was postponed to April 28, May 6 and finally May 9. However, the plant management announced that this last date will not materialize either. This halt in production, together with the delayed payment of salaries and suspension of benefits, has caused serious concern among employees.
In March, Liberty Galați entered into a 120-day “concordat preventiv” process due to financial difficulties. The company management stated that all resources would be directed towards restarting operations. However, production has not started so far and the necessary raw material stocks are reportedly not sufficient.
On Friday, April 25, although the payment of salaries gave employees some breathing space, only Eximbank card holders received their payments, while the payments of other employees were postponed. Addressing a group of workers gathered outside the plant in the morning, Production Director Cornel Moisescu was unable to give a clear date for the opening of the bakery. The administration has reportedly pledged to communicate more transparently and frequently with unions.
Liberty officials stated that the problems caused by the contraction in the European steel market, high energy prices and pressure on imported products are affecting the entire sector and that they are looking for solutions together with the Romanian government.
But concerns are growing among employees. The uncertainty continues to raise serious questions about the future of Liberty Galați and the employment of thousands of people.
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