Ruttenstorfer added that dividends from OMV’s 2008 profit will not rise compared to their 2007 level, of €1.25/share. Likewise, the company does not plan to make any major acquisitions in the coming two years, due to uncertain market conditions. “We do only what our cash flow allows us to do.”

OMV recently decided to lower its global investment budget due to the financial crisis, which will also affect Romania. Moreover, the company plans to extend the deadline for its major objectives announced together with the 2010 strategy, postponing these for several years.

Romania will continue to be a target country for OMV, though investments will drop by 10 percent at most, and the oil and gas production target set for 2010 will be lowered by some 5-6 percent. However, this investment target could be met with a delay of 1-2 years.

OMV’s net profit soared by an annual 27 percent in this year’s first nine months, to €1.89 billion, but declined 10 percent in the third quarter, to €546 million, due to a drop in the price of oil.