Two companies -- Jadranska Ulaganja, owned by Danko Koncar, and More Trogir, owned by Slobodan Ljubicic -- have submitted their letters of intent for the privatisation of the Brodotrogir shipyard in the southern Adriatic town of Trogir and after a thorough examination the government will decide which bid is more favourable, the government said at its session on Thursday.
According to Economy Minister Radimir Cacic, the said two companies as well as Nesma Holding from Saudi Arabia in June expressed their interest in acquiring the dock in Trogir, however, in the meantime, the Saudi company withdrew its offer.
"Now we start the procedure of evaluation of the (two) bids and after that we will decide on the privatisation of the part of Brodotrogir, valued at HRK 117 million," Cacic said.
Businessman Koncar had previously submitted his bid to buy Brodotrogir but initially the government turned down his proposal as it found the offered guarantees unsatisfactory.
According to unofficial sources, this time the government finds the new guarantees offered by both bidders good.
The economy ministry requested Koncar and Ljubicic to provide it with evidence on which kind of guarantees they would offer and they did it within a deadline set for 10 July.
According to unofficial reports, both bidders have offered bank and corporate guarantees and both have pledged to retain the main line of business in the dock, alongside developing a tourist activity within a marina.
This plan should also now be greenlighted by the European Commission and the Croatian Competition Agency.
