ZAGREB, 12 May 2022 - Finance Minister Zdravko Marić said on Thursday that the budget revision proposal for this year envisages HRK 75 million for gas supplies, but that that item is "open," adding that the revision should be sufficient until the technical revision usually done at the end of the year.
Answering reporters' questions, Marić said that "HRK 75 million has been secured for gas procurement, which isn't a big amount but that item is still open and a redistribution of funds is still possible."
When it comes to guarantees, the total amount is about HRK 1 billion, said Marić, adding that the model for securing gas supplies for next season will be presented when it is finalised.
He said that the objective is to find a model that will secure adequate filling of storage capacity and ensure everything that is necessary for the next heating season and that the relevant ministries, Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development as well as representatives of gas suppliers are working out the model.
Asked if that meant that the state would be involved in supplying gas and filling storage facilities, Marić answered affirmatively, confirming that that implied cooperation between the state and the HEP state-owned electricity provider.
On Saturday, Marić said that in normal circumstances the period between two heating seasons is used to fill gas storage facilities. However, in the current disrupted circumstances and given the exceptionally high price of gas, small gas suppliers can hardly cope with it financially, he said then.
Budget revision will be sufficient until technical review at the end of the year
Marić said that the current budget revision should be sufficient until the end of the year.
"At the end of the year... we have a technical budget revision which in fact just states the situation with budget revenue and expenditure. If in the meantime... some significant deviation occurs, we will have to be prepared for it, however, this revision should be sufficient until the end of the year, until the technical review," he said.
Presenting the budget revision at the cabinet meeting on Thursday, Marić said that the guarantee reserve had been increased as one guarantee had been protested. Asked which guarantee it was, he said that VTB Bank had protested a guarantee for Brodosplit amounting to €32 million.
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