Management of Romanian salt company Salrom dismissed

The management of state-owned salt producer Salrom has been dismissed and will be replaced by professionals selected for limited-duration mandates, the minister of economy, digitalization, entrepreneurship and tourism, Radu Miruță, announced.

The decision comes after the investigations ordered by the Economy Ministry and the Prime Minister’s Control Unit following the flooding at the Praid salt mine this May. The mine, one of Romania's largest and a major tourist attraction, has been closed since the massive flooding from Corund River overwhelmed its underground barriers.

The reports following the investigations show public funds were misused, the flooding risks at the Praid Salt Mine were underestimated, and no essential investments to protect the salt mine were made, even though budgets allowed for such expenditures.

The Control Unit’s report shows that waterproofing works should have been carried out at the mine starting in 2006. It also found that the protective measures adopted were inadequate and provisional, Europa Libera Romania reported.

The Salrom management rejected the accusations, labeling them unfounded and defamatory. They argue that, in the last three years, all the necessary resources were directed to secure the underground areas and the equipment, in accordance with the annual investment plans.

The minister said that the new management will consist of specialists selected based on their skills, either from applications submitted on the ministry's website or from among recognized experts in the field.

(Photo source: Facebook/Radu Miruţă)