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On Monday, the oil company Preem announced that it was withdrawing its application for the controversial expansion of the Lysekil oil refinery.
CEO Magnus Heimburg states in a press release that he is “A business decision based on a balance between the profitability of the project and technical feasibility.”
According to a review by Dagens Nyheter, the company has been in serious financial trouble since last spring.
Profitability has declined for three years and the corona epidemic made the situation worse, DN writes.
The Swedish Tax Agency has granted Preem a deferral of the payment of, among other things, employer contributions and VAT of SEK 1.5 billion for the first quarter of this year.
Not received from the Swedish Tax Agency
Preem also requested a refund and deferral of a total of SEK 2.27 billion for taxes on energy and carbon dioxide, according to DN. Preem referred to the fact that the corona pandemic has caused oil prices to fall on the world market, but the Swedish Revenue Agency said no.
Taxes on energy and carbon dioxide were not included in the government’s support package for companies affected by the crown, and in an examination against the usual rules, the Swedish Revenue Agency deemed the risks to the state too much. big.
“The assessment of the Swedish Revenue Agency is that this does not show that it will have the means to be able to refund the amount of the tax after the grace period expires,” the authority writes in the decision. in which DN participated.
“It has played a role”
Dani Backteg, press officer at Preem, confirms that the corona pandemic hit the company hard, mainly due to the reduction in demand for fuel for transportation.
– Transportation is the core of our business. We understood how much demand would decrease in the short term. We look at both short-term layoffs and tax deferrals, he says.
– We got a postponement with most of the taxes we asked about. We didn’t get something out of it. We have paid the taxes that we had to pay and we can also pay those that we will have to pay.
Financial concerns in the wake of the corona pandemic are one of several factors that have influenced Preem’s decision to now withdraw its request for the Lysekil refinery expansion.
– He has played a role, absolutely.
