Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has promised to levy hefty fines on nickel miner Norilsk Nickel for violating ecological norms if it does not upgrade its production facilities to reduce pollution.
"Either the plant is modernized, or we will have to think of a considerable increase in ecological fines," he said at a meeting on Tuesday in Norilsk with the plant's management and shareholders.
Putin said that Norilsk Nickel and the Federal Agency for Mineral Resources Management had signed an agreement, which obliges the company to reduce pollutant emissions within the next three years, to upgrade the factory and close several shops. The agency will control how the company fulfils the agreement.
Norilsk Nickel's main shareholders, RusAl and Interros, have moved closer to settling their conflict, Putin said.
"Company shareholders, management, state authorities have worked together on the company's difficult problems and I think they have moved closer to solving the conflict," he told a meeting on the development of the city of Norilsk and Norilsk Nickel.
The conflict between Norilsk shareholders intensified after Norilsk's annual shareholders meeting in June. RusAl and Interros are in dispute over the number of board seats allocated after the board election, and management appointments.
NORILSK, Russia, August 31 (RIA Novosti)
