National Energy and Utility Regulatory Authority (MEKH) director Lajos Dorkota said on January 17 that Hungary’s government was still looking into the possibility of buying the Vnesheconombank majority-owned ISD Dunaferr company located in the city of Dunaújváros.

The National Economy Ministry reported earlier on Thursday that National Economy Minister Mihály Varga had also met on Thursday with officials from VEB, including Dmitriev, to discuss issues related to ISD Dunaferr, the Paks Nuclear Power Plant and defunct Malév Hungarian Airlines, in which VEB owned a minority stake.

The government announced in August 2013 that it would make a buyout offer for ISD Dunaferr after the company announced it would lay off 1,500 of its 5,000 workers. However, in November National Economy Ministry State Secretary Sándor Czomba said that the government had shelved this plan; most recently, Dunaferr executives have promised no more than 400 layoffs in total.