The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Crafts, Martina Dalić, stated on Wednesday that the extraordinary administration process, which is in its final phase, needs time for all creditors to come together, with the help of the extraordinary commissioner and advisors, to take the final step, and that preserving the business of the group is the only way for creditors to collect their claims.
– The goal of the extraordinary administration, as I have said multiple times before, is to reach an agreement within the deadlines set by law, said Dalić when asked by reporters if there is a plan B in case the creditors, who are currently negotiating in Zadar, do not reach an agreement.
>>>Dalić admitted she wrote lex Agrokor, Ramljak regrets hiring the former company
The extraordinary administration went to Zadar on Tuesday evening with the Temporary Creditor Council, where they will hold two days of discussions on the first draft of the agreement, aiming to reach a final plan by April 10.
The objectives of that meeting, as stated yesterday in Agrokor, are to fully understand the proposal of the draft agreement, understand the needs of each group of creditors and their negotiating positions, so that afterwards the differences can be reduced and a plan for the agreement can be developed that will have broad support.
>>>Grmoja: Is it still shocking to anyone that the extraordinary administration signed something it did not read?
Additionally, some important open issues that need to be resolved to expedite the achievement of the agreement will be discussed with the creditors, such as the engagement of advisors for the creditor council, who are needed to ensure and confirm that the proposal for the agreement treats creditors in a fair and just manner.
Dalić, responding to reporters’ inquiries at the margins of the European Investment Bank and HNB conference on investments, reminded on Wednesday that the basic draft of the agreement was presented back in December last year, and more detailed discussions about that draft were held with creditors during January, “unfortunately, events surrounding the extraordinary commissioner in February brought a slight delay.”
>>>Consultant costs since the adoption of lex Agrokor have reached almost 240 million kuna
According to her, the meeting in Zadar is evidence that the extraordinary administration is moving rapidly towards its plan for reaching an agreement.
– Therefore, it is now necessary to allow the creditors to discuss all the details of that plan among themselves, and I expect that in the coming weeks, in the coming days, we will hear and see the first results from their discussions, emphasized Dalić.
She stated that it is clear that all creditors have a common interest, which is that they can only collect their claims from the business of Agrokor, from its successful operations not only today but also in the future.
>>>Ramljak: I admit, I am guilty, I made a million mistakes
– And I believe that this is a very rational element, which not only currently guides creditors in their discussions, but is actually the element on which the entire process of extraordinary administration is based – preserving the business, preserving employment, contributing to the stability of the Croatian economy, contributing to preventing the uncontrolled collapse of numerous Croatian companies that could have arisen from the bankruptcy of Agrokor,” she said, adding that preserving the business is the only way for creditors to collect their claims.
Dalić believes that at this moment it is unnecessary to speculate that creditors will not reach an agreement, because it has been seen over the past ten months that the extraordinary administration is achieving results for the benefit of the economy and creditors.
>>>Dalić: I consider myself responsible for all Agrokor employees receiving their salaries
– We have seen a number of opportunities where creditors have reached common positions. The fact that suppliers have been paid, and the payment of old debts is still ongoing, is one of the decisions made by the creditor council, she noted.
– I think that this process, which has now entered its final phase, needs to be given the time that is now before us for all creditors together, with the help of the extraordinary commissioner and the advisors they have at their disposal, to take that final step, she emphasized.
The request for her recall is being used by the SDP to divert attention from problems within the party
When asked how she views the opposition’s initiative to collect signatures for her recall, given that polls show citizens support her recall, Dalić said that it is the right of the opposition to scrutinize the work of the ruling party, as well as any person belonging to any part of the ruling spectrum.
– However, considering those arguments and the way in which the SDP is doing this, I find it very significant that, on one hand, everything the SDP says has a striking similarity to the huge amount of lies that Ivica Todorić has released into the Croatian public through his so-called blog, and on the other hand, I think that the SDP is using all of this simply to divert attention from the major problems they have within their party. I am confident that citizens will recognize the wrong choices and the wrong decisions and the wrong arguments of the SDP, and I am also confident that citizens clearly recognize and see the results that the Government has created for the Croatian economy through its decisive response and enabled through the implementation of the law on the extraordinary administration process, she said.
>>>Esih: The call for Dalić’s recall is pointless, the target should be Plenković
She reiterated that uncontrolled bankruptcy of Agrokor about a year ago threatened not only the destruction of jobs within the Agrokor system but also in numerous Agrokor partners, numerous suppliers, and would effectively return the Croatian economy into recession.
– That is precisely what has been prevented by the law on the extraordinary administration process and during the extraordinary administration process so far, concluded Dalić.
