ZAGREB, February 28, 2019 – The government will make a rational decision about the Uljanik shipbuilding group that will be responsible toward its employees, shipbuilding and taxpayers, a decision that will be in accordance with the guidelines for state subsidies to shipbuilding at the European level and realistic agreements with the strategic partner and management, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Wednesday.
“We will make a decision that will be rational, responsible toward shipbuilding, toward employees, responsible toward the tradition that Croatia has in the industrial sense toward shipbuilding, but also responsible toward taxpayers and in accordance with what is realistic, in accordance with the guidelines that exist for state subsidies in the domain of shipbuilding at the European level and realistic agreements with the strategic partner and management,” Plenković said responding to reporters on the margins of a meeting with the ambassadors of EU member states on the occasion of Romania taking on the chairmanship of the Council of the European Union.
Asked whether the decision about Uljanik had been made, the prime minister said that serious talks were being held between the Economy Ministry and the Finance Ministry, and that last week consultations were held with the European Commission.
He underscored that a solution was being sought for the ships that are currently being built to reduce the state’s exposure due to state guarantees.
The prime minister recalled that the government had the financial strength in December last year and January this year to pay out 2.8 billion kuna in state guarantees for Uljanik. “That shows that we are consolidated and that is why the next steps that concern shipbuilding in general and Uljanik will be taken carefully by the government,” he said.
More news about Uljanik and the Croatian shipbuilding industry can be found in the Business section.
