Ljajic: The Agrokor agreement is positive for Serbia – Economy

"Settlement between Agrokor creditors is essentially good news for all", said Minister of Commerce, Tourism and Telecommunications Rasim Ljajic and especially for workers who would pay the highest price for bankruptcy. "

Photo by EPA ANTONIO BAT

He felt that this brought confidence in the companies From Agrokor.

"For example, Diamond had to advance raw materials. In addition, access to credit is facilitated. Thus, Frikom has received loans at interest rates of 4.5 to 6%, while companies in such a category have borrowed up to 3% interest, explains Ljajic

with about 3.6 billion euros Agrokor yesterday voted on a shareholding agreement in which the largest single shareholder will be Russia's Sberbank with just over 39%, and with The Russian bank VTB will control about 47% of Agrokor, on behalf of about 1.4 billion euros of loans.The bondholders have received 25% of the shares, the most of which Major US investment fund Najthed with 12% Croatian banks will receive 12% and 4% will go to suppliers Saponia, Frank and Sokol Marić and Adris group.

Minister Ljajić expects that the new owners are investing in Agrokor because that 's the only way to get the money that they lent to this company while it' s was in the hands of Ivica Todoric

"This is good news because it will invest in companies in Serbia. We spoke to Petrushka about ten days ago (the extraordinary director of Agrokor, see the new) and in the next three to five years, Agrokor companies will not be expected to sell. In other words, it is possible to sell non-commercial activities, but companies in three sectors – retail, food and agriculture will try to get back on their feet because they have an interest in businesses working. and return the money, "said Ljajić

. the government declared victory, it is expected that the creditors who disagreed with the settlement, as well as Ivica Todorić, will be prosecuted. However, it will be difficult to prevent the group's takeover by mainly Russian banks and US funds, which, according to statements by Maksim Poletaev, Sberbank's representative in charge of Agrokor, have already set themselves up. Agreement on the management of this Croatian economic giant. Part of the agreement is the guarantee of placement of Croatian goods on Konzum, Idea and Mercator tablets over the next five years.

Ljubodrag Savić, professor at the Faculty of Economics of Belgrade, believes that the alternative is a bankruptcy

Agrokor is no longer managed either by Todoric or by the Croatian state , but by Russian banks and US funds. If they decided to set up on their own, it means a new direction, a new way of doing business and better days for Agrokor. Although I think it is now, Agrokor has no future. He has grown too much, has been reinvested and I believe that he will restrict his activity to basic activities. As for companies in Serbia, mainly Dijamant and Frikom, these are good companies that have not caused much damage and the work continues as before. The stores are a bigger problem, Konzum has lost the trust of the supplier and now it needs to be restored, and the competition is not with bare hands, "says Savić, adding that the biggest creditors are asking for 3.5 billion euros and that the value exceeds 1 billion. it only remains to do business so that the workers can be quieter than they were a month or two ago.