Minister Calls for Extended Job Guarantees for PCK Oil Refinery

The future of the PCK oil refinery in Schwedt remains uncertain, prompting concerns among its workforce. Brandenburg's Minister of Economics, Daniel Keller, has urged the federal government to take action regarding investments and to extend job guarantees for the facility.

Amid rising uncertainty regarding the refinery's future, workers are set to demonstrate today. Keller, along with Brandenburg's Minister-President Dietmar Woidke and other officials, plans to attend the rally at 5 PM in Schwedt.

Keller has emphasized the critical role of the PCK refinery, stating that it is essential for providing gasoline and crude oil to eastern Germany and parts of Poland. He asserted the need for substantial investments in the facility, which he believes can only be facilitated through federal support as a trustee.

Regarding the delayed expansion of the pipeline from Rostock to Schwedt, Keller remarked that the federal funding has been available for some time, and the government needs to communicate more effectively with the EU about the required state aid for the project.

The Brandenburg government is advocating for an extension of the job guarantee at PCK, which is currently set to expire at the end of June. Keller noted that one in five residents in Schwedt is directly or indirectly employed by the refinery, highlighting its significance to the local economy. He pointed out that all refineries in Germany are currently struggling for survival amid challenging market conditions.

Employees at PCK are reportedly feeling anxious about their job security, with the works council chair expressing frustrations over the prevailing uncertainty. He indicated that there has been a standstill in operations, leaving workers unsure of what the future holds.

Another pressing issue involves the ownership structure of PCK, which employs around 1,200 people. The previous federal administration aimed for the majority stakeholder, Rosneft, to divest its 54 percent share in the refinery. Plans for the Rostock pipeline expansion have been stalled for an extended period.

In response to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the German government has decided to discontinue the import of Russian pipeline oil starting in 2023, forcing PCK to seek alternative supply sources. Following this decision, the federal government has taken control of the German subsidiaries of the Russian state-owned company Rosneft and its shares in PCK.

In a contrasting stance, some lawmakers are advocating for an end to the embargo on Russian oil, suggesting that the sanctions have led to insufficient and lower quality oil supplies for PCK, ultimately harming Germany more than Russia.