ZAGREB, 4 May 2022 - Finance Minister Zdravko Marić said on Wednesday that the ministries of finance and economy had been working together to ensure secure supplies of oil, gas, electricity and other energy products.
"We have been doing that for some time. We have been affected by rising prices but we have the obligation to secure adequate and quality supplies," he said when asked about the announcement that the government would make sure the underground gas storage facility Okoli was filled, the cost of which, according to reporters, was estimated at billions of kuna.
Noting that it was necessary to be prepared for all possible circumstances and possible additional changes and deteriorated circumstances such as those in the past few weeks and months, Marić said that the model that was being worked on would certainly have some repercussions for the state budget considering energy prices, mentioning in that context gas and its higher purchase price.
"Naturally it is not in our interest for HEP (power supplier) and others to suffer losses and have problems. That is where we come in and we will take everything into consideration," he said without going into detail, adding that the model would be presented once it was finalised.
Brodosplit is a serious issue
Answering questions about the situation in the Split-based shipyard Brodosplit, Marić said that that topic was being taken seriously. "I recently said clearly that we have never turned our backs on any situation of that kind and we will not do so now. However, for something to be realised, preconditions need to be fulfilled first," he added.
At one moment, the impression was created that such situations can be resolved exclusively with a loan from the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development (HBOR) and a state guarantee, Marić said, reiterating that state guarantees are taxpayers' money and that it was necessary "to take all the circumstances and preparations into consideration as well as what follows after that."
"Let the experts at HBOR obtain all the important information just like they would for any other loan for a potential client... so we can get a guarantee that the business model will continue to be tenable," said Marić.
The Brodosplit shipyard recently applied for pre-bankruptcy proceedings due to €60 million in loans from the Russian-owned VTB Europe Bank that were to be used for the construction of two ships, however, due to sanctions against Russia the dock's accounts are currently blocked.
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