ZAGREB, May 6, 2019 – A China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation delegation visited the Shipping Institute in Zagreb during last week’s visit to Croatia and outlined proposals for it, Economy Minister Darko Horvat said on Monday.
“Talks are under way with one of the world’s largest ship manufacturers and possible partners from China. They left Croatia on Wednesday and it’s too soon to ask them for relevant information. We’ll need a little more patience. Let’s wait to see their point of view,” Horvat told the press.
He added that aside from the Uljanik and 3. Maj shipyards, the Chinese had also visited the Shipping Institute “and they have certain proposals regarding that company too.”
Asked to comment on the demand by the Blokirani association of citizens with frozen bank accounts that the state should help Uljanik’s workers, Horvat said that “aid from the state budget is not the government’s prospect” and that a strong strategic partner was needed to restructure Uljanik.
Horvat said that last year the state had paid for wages in Uljanik and 3. Maj, and that nearly 1 billion kuna had been spent on that and to service suppliers’ claims.
“If we did that, then the government would have to respond identically about every ailing company, and we are aware that there’s no such possibility right now,” he added.
More news about relations between Croatia and China can be found in the Politics section.
