Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob said that the Government will nationalize energy companies in order to secure the supply, adding that 750 million euros from the 2022 revised budget was allocated for this purpose.
PM Golob explained that it is quite possible, in couple of months, that the Government will be forced to nationalize some energy companies, not as an act of socialism or communism, but the final measure to tackle the energy crisis and secure energy supply to the population.
Slovenian state already owns majority stakes in the largest energy companies and, according to media, this decision will most likely will be related to Slovenia’s largest natural gas distributor Geoplin. Currently the state holds 25 % stake in Geoplin, while the reminder is held by energy group Petrol, which is again partially owned by the state.
PM Golob also said that the Government has prepared a total of 5 billion euros to combat energy prices in 2023, of which 1.5 billion will be allocated to companies and 1.2 billion euros for households.
So far, the Government has capped energy prices for residential consumers, however, commercial consumers were not included in any measures, despite repeated calls for imposing price caps for this category of consumers as well.
