Shipbuilding industry in Croatia
The current support to the shipyards is a huge burden on the backs of the Croatian taxpayers, according to Ivica Mudrinic a representative of the Croatian Association of Employers, Croatian taxpayers, in the Period from 2000 till 2008, spend 15 to 17 billion kuna, to keep the shipbuilding industry alive, this equal 3.800 kuna per citizen, no matter age.
When you add the state guarantees for the shipbuilding industry, it is even about 44 billion kuna, says Mudrini? and asks – where would the Croatian economy be today, in terms of competitiveness, if these funds where invested in the education of workers instead?
Given the recession, and the pressure from EU to stop subsidising the Shipyards, the Government headed by Jadranka Kosor finally have decided to put the five shipyards up for sale for one kuna. (Shipyards for sale, 3. maj in Rijeka, Brodosplit, Kraljevica, Brodotrogir, Uljanik in Pula.)
If Croatia in the future, will find space for shipbuilding industry in a larger scale, is hard to say, but all other EU members states, with long standing shipbuilding traditions, have only a fraction of people employed with in this industry today, so the prognoses are not looking to good.
After the shipyards have been put for sale, there have been roomers about several companies interested in buying, among these a Norwegian company and several Croatian companies.
No matter which solution will come of the end for the shipyards, it will for sure lead to people loosing their job, this is of course not a nice situation, but on the other hand it is also not nice for all the taxpayers, who everyday has to pay a part of their hard earned money for keeping an unprofitable industry alive.
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