Liberty Galati's only operational blast furnace, No. 5, is expected to restart on April 22, production director Cornel Moisescu said before the Easter break. However, no signs of activity were observed. The new target date is May 9, but skepticism remains due to ongoing technical problems and a lack of raw materials.

The blast furnace has been out of production for more than 10 months, causing tensions among the steel mill's 4,500 employees. Although the company has promised to pay back wages soon, growing concerns over unpaid wages have sparked protests. In an effort to address its deteriorating financial situation, Liberty Galati launched a precautionary restructuring process last month, which has now been approved by the court.

In addition, the Romanian government recently provided financial support to the company to stabilize it and assist it in returning to normal operations. However, doubts remain as to whether production can actually resume on the new date.