FOLLOWING a series of protests against the construction of its new plant in the Czech Republic's Morava region, Finnish company Nokian Tyres is considering moving the plant elsewhere, including Slovakia, the Hospodárske noviny wrote.Compiled by Martina Jurinová from press reports
"We need to expand production and we are working hard on the project of a plant in Central Europe. But we cannot wait forever. We can build it in Poland or Slovakia just the same," said Kim Gran, director of Nokian Tyres.
Problems arose for the company when Czech environmental groups, as well as the residents of Valaské Meziříčí, which is close to the industrial park in which the new plant would have been situated, sued the Czech Environment Ministry for failing to properly consider the impact of the plant’s construction.
A suitable location in Slovakia would be the town of Levice, which lost a similar investment last year. However, the town’s officials have yet to be contacted by Nokian Tyres.
The investment is valued at €300 million (Sk11.5 billion) and would create 900 jobs.
