The future of bankrupt Northvolt is uncertain and the question on the lips of many is whether and who could buy the company.
In connection with a press conference on Wednesday, Energy and Business Minister Ebba Busch (KD) stated that it is hoped that battery production can continue under another direction. However, she did not want to answer the question whether the state could buy up the bankruptcy estate.
“There are no questions asked to the government in this area today,” said Ebba Busch.
When Tobias Andersson (SD) and Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist (C) meet for debate in Wednesday’s CurrentT agree that the state should not enter as the owner.
“The state is not the right actor to conduct battery operations,” says Andersson, who is the chairman of the business committee.
The Business Committee’s Deputy Chairman Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist thinks that the state should help take advantage of the competence in the battery factory and “remove obstacles” in the transition. However, she agrees that ownership should be under a private player.
– The state should not go into money in such types of rescue operations, she says, and also believes that it is on the government’s table to ensure that important labor does not leave Sweden.
S open to state ownership
Several parties reacted on Wednesday to the news of Northvolt’s bankruptcy.
The environmental party is also critical of state ownership. At the same time as the Social Democrats’ business policy spokesperson Fredrik Olovsson opens for state support to preserve operations in Sweden, he tells DN.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) says in a statement that it is too early to speculate who can go in as a new owner.
– We hope, of course, that parts will be able to live on.
Skellefteå: “The government must step forward”
On Wednesday, the political government in Skellefteå municipality has appealed to the government for support to deal with the crisis.
– As a municipality and region, we cannot handle this ourselves. We have been addressing this for several years. The government must step forward, says Lorents Burman, chairman of the municipal council.
Labor Minister Mats Persson (L) says that the person affected by this bankruptcy will receive help.
– The experience is that we can handle such crises, he says.