Poland’s shipyards await a September fate

Workers at Poland’s state-owned Gdynia and Szczecin shipyards have taken to the streets in a warning to Brussels not to impose huge state aid repayments that would force them into bankruptcy.

The European Union claims that the shipyards have recieved subsidies by successive Polish governments breaking state aid rules.

Jonathan Todd, spokesman for competition said,
“The Commission has to treat all shipyards in all member states in an even-handed manner and has to ensure that no shipyards gains unfair competitive advantage which would create job losses in other member states as a result of unfair subsidies.”
If the shipyards close as many as 60,000 jobs could be at risk if suppliers and related sectors are taken into account.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk has informed the EU he will present a restructuring plan for the shipyards, the cradle of the Solidarity movement that helped end the communist regime in 1989, by September 12th.

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