Croatia Airlines, Aegean Airlines talks to resume soon – PM

Negotiations concerning Aegean Airlines’ potential investment in Croatia Airlines will resume in the coming months, Croatian prime minister Andrej Plenković told media after meeting his Greek counterpart, Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Mitsokakis raised the subject in his welcome address, according to the official handout. Neither of the two officials provided any further details.

The Croatian government has been trying to privatise its flag carrier for a while. In late 2019, advisers PBZ and DVB Bank outlined three potential paths for state divestment. Shortly after that, news emerged that privately-owned Aegean was one of two companies interested in acquiring Croatia Airlines alongside Spain’s Air Nostrum. While the government hoped to conclude the sale by mid-2020, the COVID-19 pandemic put all plans on hold.

The privatisation was first delayed to the fourth quarter of 2020 and then indefinitely. With no news of a new investor, Croatia Airlines recently adopted a post-COVID strategy entailing, among other changes, the addition of 12-15 new aircraft to fully replace its fleet.