State Attorney’s office has appealed the sale decision.
A few dozen former and current employees of Dalmacijavino, one of Croatia’s largest producers of beverages, wine and spirits, protested today in front of the main courthouse in Split.
After 11 attempts to sell the company, it was finally purchased in February by Marinko Zadro who offered 70.5 million kuna for this former giant. However, since the State Attorney’s office appealed this decision, new owner cannot make the payment hence both the workers and the largest creditor – the state, are yet to receive a cent. Workers and Union leaders are impatient and furious over the behaviour of the State Attorney’s office and believe that the end goal is to destroy Dalmacijavino and take over its valuable land and buildings.
According to Lukica Bucat, union representative, Dalmacijavino’s case is an example of unbelievable inertia and slackness of Croatian administration and State attorney’s office which ultimately stopped the sale.
State Attorney’s office appealed the decision because they believe three land plots that were included in the sale shouldn’t have been there: 16 240 square metres and a 418 square meter orchard in Stari Grad on island Hvar and 1 826 square meters in Vukovar.
Representatives of the State Attorney’s office claim that they are only protecting the state’s interests and that they are waiting for a decision from the State Office for the Administration of Government Property since they cannot drop the appeal without their prior approval.
President of the Croatian Association of Worker’s Unions Ozren Matijašević asked why did they keep quiet and only decided to act when the company was sold. “They had not one but 10 failed hearings and two full years to react and decided to raise their voice only after the company was finally sold! No one can tell me that they were unaware of these land plots for two full years!” Matijašević commented.
Dalmacijavino has been in receivership for years, however it continued its production and the receivership commissioner Perica Mitrović managed to increase the production and open 20 more stores around Split so there is no question whether this company has a future.
