Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has instructed Energy and Coal Industry Minister of Ukraine Ihor Nasalyk and top managers of the State Property Fund (SPF) of Ukraine to unlock purchase of coal from state-owned enterprise Lvivvuhillia and make coal of state-run coalmines a priority for state-owned energy companies.

According to the press service of the Cabinet of Ministers, Groysman held a meeting with the miners of Lvivvuhillia, the leadership of Lviv region and the city of Chervonohrad, where the miners confirmed the information that the coal produced by the Lvivvuhillia mine should be purchased by Centrenergo state-owned holding, which now is managed by the SPF, but the holding does not buy coal.

The press service said that this is why mines do not have working capital and the ability to pay for the work of miners.

"During the meeting, the prime minister instructed Minister of Energy and Coal Industry Ihor Nasalyk, as well as the top managers of the State Property Fund, to unlock purchases and make the coal of state-run coalmines a priority for state-owned energy companies. At the same time, he instructed the State Audit Service to check the formation of the cost of coal in state-owned coalmines and denied all rumors about the possible privatization of profitable mines of Lvivvuhillia," the press service reported. In addition, Groysman dwelled on the appointment of the management of the coalmines and the enterprise as a whole.

"Already tomorrow, the candidates to the relevant posts should be discussed, and people should be appointed. Moreover, the key selection criterion is the miners' trust," the prime minister said.