Due to the new situation in which the Croatian company Agrokor found itself, which has a multi-million debt to suppliers together with daughter-companies, there is information that Slovenian Mercator could return to the market of BiH, by taking over big Konzum centers.
Slovenians already expressed their interest in returning to the market of BiH, and if the agreement is reached, they would take over large shopping malls of Konzum in Sarajevo and Banja Luka.
“The government in Slovenia reacted on the collapse of Agrokor and through some of its laws, they managed to achieve that money of Mercator or the money of suppliers, does not leave Slovenia. All this led key people in Mercator to start thinking about the return to BH market, at least at some key locations, such as Sarajevo and Banja Luka.”
“BH Konzum is a healthy company, they have no debt to the state, and the only debt that they have is to suppliers. Konzum does not have large properties of its own in BiH, except for two buildings, one of which is in Prijedor and the other in Gracanica. The initial idea that will go public is that Mercator will take over the biggest Konzum centers in BiH under its own name. The government of Slovenia must decide to buy it, but an initial step is required to maintain the business operations, workplaces and preserve market. The Government of Croatia cannot affect whether Konzum will manage to remain in BiH or Serbia,” said the source.
Hypothetically looking, Mercator is the only one seriously interested in taking over certain objects of Konzum in BiH, since the largest local retail chain Bingo is not able to do it primarily due to the Competition Council.
(Source: Semir Hambo/Klix.ba)
