The government, meeting in an extraordinary session on Monday, approved a state aid scheme addressed to 200 companies that depended, in terms of tourist attraction, on the Praid Salt Mine, announced, at the Victoria Palace, the Minister of Economy, Bogdan Ivan.
He specified, in a press conference, that these are economic agents in the hospitality industry (accommodation units, restaurants, wellness), for whom this summer’s tourist season is a „compromise”.
In the Government meeting convened following the situation at the Praid Salt Mine, a decision was adopted establishing two state aid schemes. One aims to repair the damage caused by the floods and is intended for the manager of the salt mine, Salrom, as well as other companies that carried out their economic activity underground.
The second aid scheme targets the approximately 200 companies that depended on the Praid Salt Mine as a tourist attraction.
„In the case of the over 200 companies, starting yesterday, a colleague, a state secretary, who manages the tourism segment at the ministry, is present on site. He has meetings, together with representatives of the local public administration, with each of these companies. At the moment, the databases are being analyzed for the establishment of this financing mechanism,” explained Bogdan Ivan.
According to him, the aid will not exceed 300,000 euros per company. Currently, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Finance and the Competition Council are working to operationalize this state aid scheme, which will be launched by ministerial order.
„(The aid scheme) will come as a percentage compensation for each company, as a percentage of the turnover reported for 2024. It is a model similar to the one during the pandemic, which had a very pragmatic effect,” the minister said.
Another state secretary is also in Praid, coordinating the mining analysis activity, to see what the geo-morphological developments are at the level of the old and new salt pans. A local emergency command has also been created, led by the prefect of Harghita County.
Bogdan Ivan visited the area, together with Finance Minister Tanczos Barna, at the end of last week.
„There are people who have seen their life savings potentially destroyed. There are people who have invested their life savings in a pension or in a small company. There are people who put their hope in the Government, and the Government was prompt. It came, it delivered and it came with concrete solutions for the people,” the Minister of Economy said.
