In order to register their claim in the bankruptcy proceedings of the Dingač winery for grapes deliver, but not paid for, Pelješac wine growers must pay an additional 500 kuna in fees into he state budget, although it is quite certain they will not see their hard-earned money. The debts have surpassed the assets value of the winery, while the wine growers are third in line as creditors, after the state and business banks, which places them in a very unfavourable position, Portaloko has reported in February 9, 2017.
The second, even larger problem warned of by Pelješac wine grower and winemaker Marija Mrgudić is that the appointed insolvency administrator left the old management of Dingač winery in place and the director Ante Martinović, who led the company to bankruptcy.
“They just send in their bank account numbers to the Commercial Court, meaning the state to receive their salaries and continue on like nothing has happened,” Said Mrgudić, pointing out the hard-working wine growers and cooperative members are racking their brains how to fill out the paperwork in order to register their claims, aware they will not get anything.
“When the paperwork is complete, comes the state budget as the claim won’t be filed unless they pay a 500 kuna fee to the state. The wine growers learned to respect their country so they duly pay their fees, to help those who will spend them from the state budget,” said resolutely Marija Mrgudić.
“How is it possible that money from the state budget is used to pay those who embezzled nearly 40 million kuna from Dingač winery and drove it to bankruptcy,” asked Mrgudić, who also demanded answers from state institutions, but got no answers.
“Who is responsible for the seven million kuna tax debt when we know the Tax Department forecloses on a debt of 500 kuna,” asked Mrgudić.
Dingač winery ended in bankruptcy proceedings after several years of agony. Grapes were deliver and never paid for to wine growers, who as cooperative members owned the winery.
The debt to Pelješac wine growers is now 27 million kuna.
The only possible solution is to find a strategic partner to restart production with a condition for the cooperative members to renounce part of their claims, although they have already renounced 40 percent of them in the current bankruptcy proceedings.
As time passes, getting their money is becoming more unlikely for the wine growers, who are on the brink of survival. Insolvency administrator Ante Mrkonjić is aware of this, stating there is a hearing scheduled for February 13 to propose how to continue operation through restructuring.
“We are currently talking to two potential strategic partners,” said Mrkonjić, emphasizing the claims are much larger than the value of assets.
As for the old management and director Martinović still in place, named as primary culprits for the winery’s demise, Mrkonjić says he did not reward anyone.
“When operation continues, the workers stay, even the former manager. If the winery were to close, then everyone would be fired. Someone needs to work there to keep the strategic buyers,” explained Mrkonjić.
“The cooperative members are not satisfied with the old management. But I have no knowledge of criminal proceedings which would require me to fire anyone. Every citizen who knows of criminal acts in Dingač winery is obligated to report it,” concluded Mrkonjić commenting on the accusations by cooperative members.
