Two major bids allegedly presented to U.S. Steel for Košice steelworks

The Economy Ministry is closely watching the situation at U.S. Steel Košice amid media reports that some major investors have presented bids to the American company for its steelworks in eastern Slovakia. Nonetheless, the Economy Ministry itself doesn't have any information on any planned sale of U.S. Steel Košice, Ministry Spokesperson Maroš Stano told the TASR press agency. "The steel mills are in the hands of a private company, but considering the fact that it's one of the biggest employers in the country and an important part of the national economy, the Economy Ministry is watching the situation closely. Nevertheless, a memorandum from 2013 that has kept the American owner in Slovakia and stabilised the situation at the company is still being maintained and observed," said Stano. In the 2013 memorandum the American company promised to continue running the steelworks in Košice until at least 2018 and that it would not resort to mass lay-offs in the meantime. On Monday, the business news website biztweet.eu, Czech business weekly EURO and Slovak dailies SME and Hospodárske Noviny reported that U.S. Steel has received purchase bids from a Chinese company and Czech steel mills Třinecké Železárny, which belongs to the Czech-Slovak group Moravia Steel. According to Hospodárske Noviny, the bids were presented in Pittsburgh last Friday. However, the Czech company's offer was rejected later in the day, sources told the daily. The Chinese bid was probably presented by steel giant Hesteel Group. Meanwhile, U.S. Steel hasn't provided any comments on the situation. "I still refrain from commenting on rumours," said U.S. Steel Košice spokesman Jan Baca.