ZAGREB, September 13, 2018 – Economy Minister Darko Horvat said on Wednesday three of the four ships cancelled by a Norwegian client would most likely be scrapped and that a model would be sought to complete the construction of the fourth so that it could be delivered.
Speaking on Nova TV, Horvat said he talked to the Norwegian client and that the three ships “will most likely be cancelled, but they are envisaged for cancellation in the restructuring plan” for the Uljank shipyard.
As for the fourth ship, on which 70% of construction has been completed, “we will join forces to find a model to complete and deliver it to the Norwegian client,” he said.
Asked if the government would adopt a final decision on Uljanik’s fate on Thursday, Horvat said he did not expect any final decision to be made at the session in Pula. He said the government would inform the public and every interested party about the concrete state of affairs in the shipbuilding industry, notably in the Uljanik and 3. Maj docks.
A final decision will be made when a final analysis has been made and when we get all the relevant data, Horvat said.
He said he was certain a model would be found to pay the dockers’ August salaries by September 15.
Asked if and how management would be punished for the situation in the docks, Horvat said owners decided on that and not the government which for now did not have a mechanism to do that. That could change, however, as the restructuring model envisages the government’s contribution, and if the government opts for such participation, it will sit on the advisory and management boards, he added.
He also said that for now he had no information on a State Prosecutor’s Office investigation in Uljanik and that he expected to be briefed in time.
