site.btaEconomy Minister Unveils New Aurubis Bulgaria Rainwater Treatment Plant

112 ECONOMY - MINISTER - RAINWATER TREATMENT PLANT

Economy Minister Unveils New
Aurubis Bulgaria Rainwater
Treatment Plant


Pirdop, Western Bulgaria, November 19 (BTA) - Economy Minister
Bozhidar Loukarski on Tuesday unveiled a new
environment-friendly rainwater-treatment plant (RWTP) worth 6.3
million euro and developed by Aurubis Bulgaria at the company's
production facility in Pirdop (Western Bulgaria). The company is
one of the largest exporters and has invested over 1,000
million leva in the copper production facility, opening over 800
jobs.

Detlef Lingeman, Ambassador of Germany to Bulgaria, attended the
ceremony, as well as Deputy Minister of Environment and Water
Krasimir Jivkov, Dr. Frank Schneider, member of the Executive
Board of Aurubis AG, and Tim Kurth, Executive Director of
Aurubis Bulgaria,.

Loukarski commended the company for applying high standards of
environment protection and increasing the efficiency of the
production process. He assured the representatives of the German
company that the government is committed to improve the
business environment in the country. The minister also expressed
hope that with its experience and good practices Aurubis
Bulgaria will continue to expand its investments and increase
its importance for the economy of the region and of Bulgaria as
a whole.

"With the construction of the new RWTP, our plant located
between Pirdop and Zlatitsa has become one of the few in the
country with three treatment facilities (for industrial,
domestic and rainwater), which shows commitment to the
environment and our neighbors, along with the efforts to protect
the air and soil. Every day we prove that our requirements and
standards are in full compliance with national and EU
legislation, which is supported by the introduction of the best
worldwide technologies for protecting the environment," said Tim
Kurth, Executive Director of Aurubis Bulgaria.

The copper factory by Pirdop was established in 1955-1958. It
was privatized in 1997 and was subsequently bought by what is
now Aurubis./LI/BR