Energy Minister Bogdan Ivan declared on Saturday, during a visit to the Mintia power plant, that, at this moment, there are no problems regarding the fuel market in Romania, specifying that, through the measures taken, our country is positioned much better than other states in the European Union.

'We obtained a waiver from the United States to restart the Petrotel Lukoil refinery. We have contracts that we managed together with Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, French Guiana, precisely to ensure that Romania has enough fuel on the market, enough oil, that the Petromidia refinery is operating at maximum capacity, that we have declared a state of crisis through which exports can be conditioned in the case of oil and diesel. There are no supply problems on the fuel market in Romania at the moment. We also have strategic reserves that we have not yet used, and I hope that we will not be in a situation where we have to use them,' said the Minister of Energy.

Regarding kerosene production, Minister Bogdan Ivan mentioned that this fuel is produced at the Petrobrazi and Petromidia refineries, and that he is considering limiting exports, if the situation requires it.

'Currently, Romania produces kerosene at Petrobrazi and Petromidia. There are commercial contracts in which kerosene is also exported. I am doing a calculation, but I repeat, it is not a final decision yet - because, as it did in the case of crude oil and diesel, let's limit exports - let's also consider limiting the export of kerosene, if the situation requires it', declared the minister.

Asked about the measures the Government could take to protect the fuel market in the future, Minister Bogdan Ivan replied that, at this moment, the most important is the one that declared a state of crisis and limited the export of fuel.

'At the moment, the most important measure is to declare a state of crisis, limit exports, diversify supply routes, renegotiate large contracts, through which we ensure that we have enough fuel in Romania, reorganize Terminal Oil and prepare more stocks for fuels in our country. We are in a situation where we are preparing to bring part of the strategic reserves, which are outside the country, to the territory of Romania. We already have 56% of the total reserves, approximately 2 million cubic meters of oil equivalent in the country and abroad. And what's more, we have that measure through which the markup of market operators was limited, from a commercial point of view, plus the reduction of excise duty with a final cost of 0.36 bani per liter of diesel, down,' Ivan detailed.

The Minister of Energy paid a working visit on Saturday to the Mass Mintia Power Plant, in the town of Mintia, considered the largest private investment in Romania in the energy field. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Sorin Blada, editing by: Irina Poenaru; EN - writing by: Catalin Cristian Trandafir)