Croatia Airlines defers €33.7 million state loan repayment


Croatia Airlines has successfully postponed the repayment of a 33.7-million-euro shareholders loan it received from the Croatian government in 2019, which was aimed at financially stabilising the carrier prior to its privatisation, which was later shelved due to complications resulting from the coronavirus pandemic. The loan, which received European Commission approval, was to be repaid in full last year at a 2% fixed default interest rate. However, the Croatian flag carrier requested for a deferral, which has been approved by the Croatian Ministry for Finance. The shareholders loan will now mature in January 2025 instead. The airline has since been the recipient of several direct state aid packages to alleviate the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and will soon receive a 39.2-million-euro state injection in form of a recapitalisation package, which was approved by both the state and Croatia Airlines two weeks ago.

The Croatian government previously said it would strictly monitor spending at the country’s national carrier as part of the 2019 loan agreement, in arrangement with the European Commission. However, the state auditor has warned that this obligation has not been met. Under the agreement, Croatia Airlines was to submit a report on where the funds were being spent each fifteenth of the month, which has not occurred. According to the auditor, only two reports have been submitted by the airline. By the end of the third quarter of last year, Croatia Airlines had 3.2 million euros worth of long-term loan repayments and 67 million euros worth of shareholder loan repayments.

Croatia Airlines is looking to improve its finances through its ongoing post-Covid strategy. The carrier recently ordered six Airbus A220-300 aircraft, with the company telling EX-YU Aviation News last month that a financing model for the acquisition of the jets is still under consideration. Delivery of the planes is due to commence next year. Potential financing options include an operating lease, finance lease, as well as sale and leaseback agreements. The A220-300 aircraft is valued at approximately 91.5 million US dollars per unit at list price, before the customary discounts, bringing the Croatian carrier’s order for six to over half a billion dollars at list price. The airline also has plans to lease an additional nine A220 jets in order to operate a single-type fleet by 2026. The pace of deliveries over the two-year period has not been disclosed.



Comments

  1. Anonymous09:01

    It is beyond me how they are going to pay for those A220s.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:07

      The government will give the money.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:10

      I doubt the government can give anymore money.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:11

      Yeah, they can't pay a loan of 30 million, but want to buy new aircraft for 450 million :))

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:20

      Sky is the limit. Keep those loans and subsidies flowing.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous09:32

      while the EU watches on

      Delete
    6. notLufthansa09:35

      it will not be the govt who will hand out the money for A220, it will be kradeze on behalf of citizens. Waiting Pozdrav to confirm.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous09:47

      The ordered A319neo have not been purchased, the conversion to A320neo has not been delivered. Why should the A220 actually come now? Rather, the order will be changed again, in ATR72 ;-)

      Delete
    8. Anonymous14:18

      Fear the same as last anon mentions.

      Delete
    9. Anonymous14:22

      Don't worry the A220s will come. It will coincide with the parliamentary elections next year so it's an excellent photo opportunity.

      Delete
    10. Pozdrav confirms. Mafia at its best.

      Delete
    11. Anonymous16:23

      You are all jealous and lack understanding for the business model ...

      Delete
  2. Anonymous09:02

    What is their loss for 2022?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:05

      It was 13 million in the first three quarters. We still don't know the annual result.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:06

      Annual result will be known at the end of the month.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:08

      Thanks

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:15

      My guess is loss of around 30 million Euros in the end.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous09:16

      Yes, that seems realistic. What was their result in 2019?

      Delete
    6. Anonymous09:19

      In 2019 it was -13.1 million

      Delete
    7. Anonymous09:20

      Wonder how they will perform this year

      Delete
    8. Anonymous10:03

      I don't see that anything monumental has changed in their business strategy or direction for the result to be significantly better.

      Delete
    9. Anonymous14:19

      I also expect a 30 million loss. Q4 is always loss making for them.

      Delete
    10. Anonymous16:26

      What a small price to pay to have the proud Croat name flown all over the globe and a link between earthly and heavenly realm...

      Delete
    11. Anonymous16:29

      All around the world js 300km radius. Everything beyond that they discontinued as it didn't fit Lufthansa servant strategy.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous09:03

    "Croatia Airlines was to submit a report on where the funds were being spent each fifteenth of the month, which has not occurred. According to the auditor, only two reports have been submitted by the airline."

    What a surprise.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:47

      This company (and government) is a joke. How come people support that???

      Delete
    2. Anonymous14:19

      Croatia Airlines is least of the people's thoughts or something they care about.

      Delete
    3. People don't support that. Kradeze installed partitocracy in which it rules with less than 20 percent of population voting for them, they buy "zetoncici" from various parties, they use lower level judiciary for their goals, and they centralized all the finances in order whole of Croatia to be their ATM. Croatia is not democracy, it's travesty of democracy, and Croatia Airlines is one of the better examples that prove it

      Delete
    4. Anonymous18:45

      It’s quite sad how certain people are so troubled by people like Pozdrav, people who point out what’s wrong, and yet are not at all troubled by the things that are happening. Crazy times!

      Delete
  4. Anonymous09:04

    Endless money pit without any show of improvement.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous09:06

    This airline has received more than 150 million euros in the last 3 years

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:51

      you think the "airline" actually got that money.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous14:20

      Well they had to pay wages from something

      Delete
    3. Anonymous18:46

      150 million? In a country where 41,000 people net have left last year, emigrated abroad? That’s disastrous.

      Delete
  6. Anonymous09:08

    How they plan to purchase planes in such financial state?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:13

      Seems they are not so sure themselves

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:56

      Order new airplanes, then start thinking about how you’re going to pay for them. Isn’t this how every profitable airline operates? :)

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:49

      I find that to be the most bizarre thing they ever said. That they are now looking at financing models after they ordered the planes. Ok...

      Delete
    4. Anonymous18:48

      I still cannot believe you guys taking OU seriously when they tell you they are going to buy planes.

      Delete
  7. Anonymous09:08

    There will definitely be more requests for aid. The question is will the government be able to provide it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous14:21

      They don't seem to have been fazed to give them aid year after year. I don't see why they wouldn't do it again.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous18:49

      The government can just raise more taxes on a willing population. Those people who are still there of course and have not emigrated yet. How much VAT have I noticed on cheese? 25%? Good job!

      Delete
  8. Anonymous09:13

    They were requesting aid even before covid and Ukraine.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:19

      They have been getting aid from day 1, like all other ex-Yu airlines.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:05

      But they simply used their aid to pay off wages. Other airlines used it wisely to develop and increase their country's connectivity.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous13:08

      They used it for daily liquidity.

      Delete
  9. Anonymous09:15

    It's just never ends with them, does it?

    ReplyDelete
  10. JU520 BEGLAX09:16

    I cant wait to hear pozdrav iz Rijeke 😅

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:18

      +1 :D

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:25

      Lol!

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:46

      To hear what from him?

      Delete
    4. Maybe the truth you don't like?

      Delete
    5. Anonymous18:53

      Don’t worry Pozdrav, which I know you don’t, but our region has always made fun of people who pointed out what was wrong, instead of listening to them. So smart people emigrate and are successful abroad. And what remains are blind folks who joke when they should be absolutely livid instead.

      Delete
  11. Anonymous09:20

    Dead man walking.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous09:21

    Not good.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous09:21

    Where is BCG?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:24

      Who?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:28

      Baston Consulting group - thir consultant.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous13:11

      BCG was a waste of millions like the many privatizations advisors that were hired in the past.

      Delete
  14. Anonymous09:21

    Good luck OU! I hope they get out of this stronger and the government has a more clearer vision of what it can do.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous09:24

    Big mistake not selling this company years and years ago.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:44

      There was no one to sell it to.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:47

      There was Garuda.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:51

      Aegean too.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous11:19

      Had the government sold the company, it couldn't employ its voters there and OU couldn't feed Lufthansa flights. This would be direct clash with the government and Misetic's interest.

      So, it wasn't a mistake, but a preconcerted action.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous12:08

      Airline does not need to be sold, just management held accountable.
      Unfortunately, this airline like everything in Croatia government owned is just used as a personal piggy bank by those in power. How can the government not hold the management accountable for not submitting reports where millions of tax payers money is at stake. In Australia, politicians get the axe if they "forget" to declare a $100 bottle of win given as a gift but somehow in Croatia, the same political elites stay in power, scandal after scandal. This is not the Croatia we fought hard for. Just a sad sad story!!

      Delete
    6. Anonymous13:09

      Don't forget that the idea was to also to pay privatization advisors for absolutely nothing. We are talking about millions of euros.

      Delete
  16. Anonymous09:25

    OU will have to adopt a completely different approach and strategy if they want to survive.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:29

      Their new approach is moving flights from Zagreb to Split...

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:43

      If it helps improve their financial results than so be it.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:20

      It can, for two months of the year. Don't ask for the rest.

      Delete
  17. Anonymous09:29

    The government won't let them go bust

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:50

      As EU member, there is (very) little space to maneuver

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:06

      And Ryanair is watching their every move.

      Delete
  18. Anonymous09:31

    And people expect them to launch a multitude of new routes in this kind of financial state?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:43

      Well they are renewing their entire fleet so why not.

      Delete
  19. notLufthansa09:36

    somebody must stop this endless loop sans changing anything...just hand over money-business-as-usual-hand over money-business as usual-and round and round it goes.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous09:51

    something DRASTIC needs to change at this company!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous13:10

      The management first and foremost.

      Delete
    2. Management, feeder model, excessive administrative work force, work productivity, state of mind, crime, corruption and nepotism, inertness, sinergy with home hub, strategy which they don't have at all.........

      Delete
  21. Anonymous09:52

    Nothing better could be expected

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous09:53

    I hope things improve and this loan deferral helps them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:09

      Hope is a fools strategy

      Delete
  23. Anonymous09:58

    If things keep going this way, in a year or two they will no longer be able to get any loans

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:59

      They don't have many loans. Just 3.2 million. They have big loans from the state and the idea is probably for them never to repay it anyway.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:00

      It was already becoming difficult in 2019 which you can actually see in their financial reports.

      Delete
  24. Anonymous10:01

    The amount of money OU needs just to cover their operations is getting bigger and bigger.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous10:20

    It's funny how some people really believe that those A220s are going to be delivered.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:35

      I'm starting to doubt it more and more.

      Delete
    2. It's even more funny how some people claim, even if delivered, that they could change anything for better

      Delete
  26. Anonymous10:27

    Close it down and create Slo-cro airline that also operates from Sarajevo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. notLufthansa10:34

      yeeee, and call it Air Yugoslavia :)

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:34

      Adria Airways actually would have been the perfect name.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:35

      Air Adria :P

      Delete
    4. Anonymous14:23

      Or restore Pan Adria :)

      Delete
    5. Anonymous14:45

      I mean this would be fantastic to see airline with few A319 or even better the E290. Mainly station them at LJU, ZAG and SPU and maybe one or two in DBV and MBX. Could be called Adriatic airlines or something like that. Basically in the concept of Air Baltic

      Delete
    6. WYA - Western Yugoslav Airways☺

      Delete
    7. Anonymous23:57

      Germany would not allow it. They are against new Slovenian airline, let alone bigger Slo-Cro airline.

      Delete
  27. Anonymous11:35

    So much lost potential with this airline.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Anonymous11:36

    This loan will probably never be repaid and that's the point of the deferral. In 2025 it will be differed until 2027.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Anonymous11:48

    I am tired of my tax money going to OU and getting nothing to show for it.

    ReplyDelete
  30. How far can they go until the European Commission pulls the plug? When it comes to Malev, Estonian or Adria, the end came rather quickly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous18:44

      And so it will for OU. And if it does i really hope that Slovenia and Croatia create something together in terms of a stabile airline.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous23:12

      I am sure Air Serbia would jump in opening at least 20 weekly frequencies to ZAG :)

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:02

      Anonymous 23:12 your fantasy will never happen!

      Delete
    4. @An.09.02
      It will happen, and it will happen soon. Croatia Airlines will not go bankrupt as long as it is used as laundry machine for Kradeze. But because it's purpose is not to be an airline, but a laundry machine, companies which have aviation as their business will grow more and more in ZAG. Air Serbia is already on 14 planned in ZAG. With further network growth, it will be on 20 soon. Maybe even more. But those blinded by hate are not willing to accept OU needs drastic changes and reforms will continue writing about fantasies that would "never happen"

      Delete
  31. Anonymous19:22

    Maybe this is the wrong place to post this, but question to anyone that might have an idea - does any of the ex-yu operators use Skywise to help their operations? They're all Airbus heavy, thus using such tool I guess makes sense. I'm wondering to which extent would it benefit the airline operations

    ReplyDelete
  32. I don't see Croatian Airlines surviving till 2025. Now the EU is controlling all the decisions of loads or state help as they are officially in the Eurozone. So I can say its only a waiting time before we see the airline officially bankrupt...

    ReplyDelete
  33. Perhaps they should prepare the exit strategy in terms of a subsidiary which would take over all good assets and leave the bad ones to the old company. It helped Alitalia numerous times and worked to a lesser extent for the Swiss and Brussels. I am no expert in these things, but there must be a legal way to do so. In that way, even if bankruptcy comes, they could reinstate main routes immediately and try to survive ASAP as Croatia 2.0 or Adria 2.0. There is no other option.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. With all due respect, strategy and OU in the same sentence, or action of any kind and OU in the same sentence, or common sense and OU in the same sentence, unfortunately no go

      Delete
    2. We witnessed that, I am aware. However, the hope dies last. Even being from Serbia, I'd love to see OU prosper and JP revive, in one way or another. Call me crazy or naive, but I'd hate to see Lufthansa/Turkish colored European skies.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous02:19

      Eight, times are different now with the post covid strategy by major reserve banks of just printing money and putting "that money to work", in other words stimulus. I don't agree with it, I think it will result in a major global economic crises but for now the EU seem to be happy to just turn a blind eye to crazy spending by governments. We don't have capitalism anymore, we just have greed!!

      Delete
  34. Anonymous16:32

    The gouvernement will pay any money just to keep the flag flying!!! ;)

    ReplyDelete

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