The Board of Mediterranean Oil & Gas Plc announces that, following the tribunal hearing held on 9 January 2014 in Rome, the Lazio Regional Administrative Court has rejected the appeal filed by Medoilgas Italia S.p.A, a wholly owned subsidiary of MOG.
This appeal was aimed at obtaining an annulment of the letter sent by the Ministry of the Environment and of Protection of Land and Sea (“MEPLS”) on 9 July 2013 instructing Medoilgas to complete an ‘Autorizzazione Integrata Ambientale’ (an Integrated Environmental Authorisation) (“AIA”) for the Ombrina Mare project as a precursor to MEPLS considering the approval of the Environmental Impact Assessment (“EIA”) decree.
The ruling rejects the Company’s claim that the release of the EIA decree for the Ombrina Mare project does not require prior approval of the AIA. As a result of the ruling, Medoilgas has advised the Ministry that it has already prepared the necessary documentation and is ready to immediately initiate the AIA procedure.
In the judgment the court also did not accept any of the counter claims submitted as part of the tribunal process. Accordingly, the court has instructed all parties to pay their own costs.
Related: Ombrina Mare Field Dispute Continues. MOG Seeks Court Help (Italy)
The Company is reserving its right of appeal against the Court’s judgment.
Dr. Bill Higgs , Chief Executive of Mediterranean Oil and Gas, commented:
“While we are obviously disappointed with the ruling, in the possible event of this outcome we had already been working hard in the interim to undertake the activities necessary to complete an AIA submission. At this time it is difficult to predict how long MEPLS will take to evaluate MOG’s submission and we look forward to working closely with MEPLS to gain approval in due course.”
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Press Release, April 17, 2014