ZAGREB, March 31 (Hina) - Six leading Croatian banks on Wednesday dismissed claims made in the latest issue of the "Nacional" daily saying the banks were facing collapse following a report by Reuters that German creditors had decided
not to grant loans to Croatia until further notice. The daily also claimed that after the Reuters report had been released, all representatives of the state-run media in Croatia were called to the President's residence, where they were ordered not to publish the Reuters report. In a joint statement by the Zagrebacka Banka, Privredna Banka, Varazdinska Banka, Rijecka Banka, Dalmatinska Banka and the Splitska Banka it was said the "Nacional" article was unfounded and aimed at damaging the foundations of stable banking - the trust of depositors. "The article is based on a two-week-old Reuters news item, concerning business relations between a group of German banks and
ZAGREB, March 31 (Hina) - Six leading Croatian banks on Wednesday
dismissed claims made in the latest issue of the "Nacional" daily
saying the banks were facing collapse following a report by Reuters
that German creditors had decided not to grant loans to Croatia
until further notice.
The daily also claimed that after the Reuters report had been
released, all representatives of the state-run media in Croatia
were called to the President's residence, where they were ordered
not to publish the Reuters report.
In a joint statement by the Zagrebacka Banka, Privredna Banka,
Varazdinska Banka, Rijecka Banka, Dalmatinska Banka and the
Splitska Banka it was said the "Nacional" article was unfounded and
aimed at damaging the foundations of stable banking - the trust of
depositors.
"The article is based on a two-week-old Reuters news item,
concerning business relations between a group of German banks and
several bankrupt Croatian banks, and it is construing a set of
assumptions on the collapse of the whole Croatian banking system,
including the assumption that the stability of the largest Croatian
banks is also at stake", the statement read.
The impression which the daily is trying to create with this article
is enhanced by the claim that the Reuters report remained concealed
from the Croatian public, although it was and is available to any
user of any Reuters' service, the statement said.
The six banks believe that their business results, which are
available to the general public, are the best way to refute the
claims presented in the "Nacional" article, stressing that
"savings deposits in the leading banks are completely safe and the
banks' operations are solvent and profitable".
(hina) jn rml