Over 110 participants took part in the event. In particular, they were people's deputies of Ukraine, Minister of Energy and Coal Industry Volodymyr Demchyshyn, representatives of central executive bodies, heads of state-run enterprises, energy experts, representatives of non-government organizations, leaders of field-specific trade unions and journalists.
According to Deputy Chairperson of the Committee Ihor Nasalyk, taking in account the level of technological modernization of the whole industry in Ukraine, the maximum term of existence of coal industry in Ukraine is 25, maximum 30 years.
The head of the subcommittee on coal industry Mykhailo Bondar raised the question of necessity for introduction of market mechanisms and proper commercial coal pricing in this sector. In his words, it would help make state coal enterprises self-repayment. It was also noted that the draft law No. 3813 "On amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On State Budget of Ukraine for 2016" (as to state support for state coal enterprises) required immediate adoption.
Minister of Energy and Coal Industry Volodymyr Demchyshyn said that the coal industry should be supported by the state during the period until the privatization of the enterprises, and that investment-attractive conditions of work of the coal sector should be created. He said that the amount of funds required to stabilize the work of state-owned coal enterprises in 2016 is UAH 2.4 billion.
In his concluding speech, the Chairperson of the Committee Ihor Nasalyk called on the participants to provide their proposals to elaborate recommendations of the committee hearings for bodies of state power.