"Delta" still interested in "Mercator"

"Delta holding" is still interested in takeover of "Mercator" and, according to "Blic", the negotiations are in progress. As May is approaching, which is the time when the name of the buyer of the package of stocks of Slovenian strategic food company "Mercator" will be revealed, the tensions are growing.

According to the media in Slovenia, the Government's secret service Sova has recently warned the authorities that the Italian central bank granted the loan to Croatian tycoon Ivica Todorić. That was supposed to be discussed by Borut Pahor's Government since the new circumstances demand the introduction of measures by the major owners of Nova Ljubljanska Banka (NLB), that is, the Government and the state.

The owners of NLB should make the decision about extension of the deadline for repayment of the loan of 130m EUR that was granted to the majority owner of "Mercator", "Pivovarna Laško", of which President of the Administration, Boško Šrot, intends to sell 25% of "Mercator".

The estimates are that Slovenian Government wants "Mercator" to stay the property of Slovenians and not to be sold to foreigners because the food-processing industry of Slovenia and the destiny of about 30,000 families depends on it.