‘The Management Hopes the Incident Will Not Jeopardize the Pre-Bankruptcy Settlement’

The management of Dioki has stated that it hopes today’s protest by a group of former employees will not slow down or even jeopardize the ongoing pre-bankruptcy settlement process, nor the creditors’ confidence in the company’s ability to continue operations.

-“The re-normalization of the company’s business functions depends on several factors, and the management hopes that this incident will not slow down or even jeopardize the ongoing pre-bankruptcy settlement process, nor the creditors’ confidence in the company’s ability to continue operations,” the statement reads, explaining that the claims of workers are included in the pre-bankruptcy settlement and have the status of labor claims, which are legally prioritized in terms of amount and payment deadlines.

-“Upon acceptance of the pre-bankruptcy settlement by Dioki’s creditors, labor claims will be settled according to the financial restructuring plan from the sale of non-operational assets,” emphasizes the company’s management.

It also states that, following the first hearing for the determination of claims held on April 23, the next hearing is expected where creditors with voting rights will be able to express their opinions on the restructuring plan.

Dioki workers today blocked the company’s administrative building in Zagreb’s Žitnjak, demanding a resolution to their unpaid wages and severance payments, and announced that they would not allow the management into the building until further notice, or until a solution is found. They are also seeking a meeting with Finance Minister Slavko Linić and Economy Minister Ivan Vrdoljak, as well as answers regarding the pre-bankruptcy settlement, which they warn could last for months.

According to claims from Dioki’s management statement, a group of former employees blocked the administrative building in Žitnjak after today’s protest, preventing the continuation of its business functions, after which the employees left their workplaces.

The protest occurred due to dissatisfaction over the non-payment of labor claims, namely overdue wages and severance payments.

Specifically, the claims of both former employees of the company based on unpaid wages and severance payments, as well as current employees based on unpaid wages, are included in the pre-bankruptcy settlement and have the status of labor claims, which are legally prioritized in terms of amount and payment deadlines, states Dioki’s statement.