February 22 (SeeNews) - Croatia's prime minister, Andrej Plenkovic, said on Thursday the country's ailing concern Agrokor will have a new extraordinary receiver as early as next week to replace Ante Ramljak who resigned.
"We are conducting consultations on new members of the extraordinary administration. The government will, in accordance with its responsibilities, propose to the Commercial Court the appointment of a new extraordinary administration as early as the beginning of next week," Plenkovic said during Thursday's government session streamed on the website of the government.
He added that this time around Agrokor will also have a deputy receiver.
Plenkovic again reiterated that the government's involvement in resolving the crisis at Agrokor last year was absolutely crucial.
Late on Wednesday, Plenkovic told the media that Ante Ramljak did the right thing by resigning.
He noted that the process of extraordinary administration in Agrokor and the talks towards reaching a debt settlement will continue as normal. Ramljak will continue to do his job until a replacement is found, Plenkovic said during a news conference in Zagreb.
"The government of Croatia is currently conducting consultations to propose to the Commercial Court the appointment of a new extraordinary administration".
Plenkovic also thanked Ramljak for reviving the company to a functional state after in April last year it was revealed that the food-to-retail concern was on the brink of bankruptcy.
"The progress that has been made so far is remarkably good because it has enabled the company to operate, without engaging new state resources, as we have seen over the past ten months," he said.
Plenkovic also told the media that there will be no government reshuffle, after members of the opposition called for the resignation of the prime minister and the minister of economy.
"A government reshuffle may only happen if I estimate the time has come. All the ministers are here and everyone is doing their job," he judged.
Earlier on Wednesday, Ante Ramljak said he has handed in his irrevocable resignation to the prime minister, after it emerged that he had hired his former employer, Texo Management consultancy, to advise on the process of Agrokor restructuring.
It was also made public that at the time Agrokor and Texo Management signed the consultancy services contract, Ramljak was still formally employed by Texo.
"I submit my irrevocable resignation as extraordinary commissioner (receiver) so that I would not personally become an obstacle for reaching a settlement," Ramljak said in a statement.
Plenkovic said on Wednesday that a section on conflict of interest may be added to the law on extraordinary management of companies of systemic importance for the country's economy.
Last week, Ramljak told the economic committee in parliament that he is ready to face the consequences if lawmakers and the government decide that he has behaved outside the powers entrusted to him under the procedure for emergency administration at Agrokor.