ZAGREB, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The Croatian government on Thursday adopted a decision on business and financial restructuring of roads sector in order to handle the huge debts of its state-owned road management companies.
The roads sector was highly indebted and unable to cover the debt from its business revenues, said Oleg Butkovic, minister of the sea, transport and infrastructure.
The World Bank would support the reform and a guarantee would be issued that Croatia can use to refinance the road sector, he added.
The overall debt, accumulated from 2001 when Croatia modernized and extended the highway network across the country, is worth 5.2 billion euros (5.57 billion U.S. dollars), or 13.5 percent of the country's overall public debt, Butkovic said.
Some 1.14 billion euros mature this year. A huge portion matures within the next three years, he added.
He said that the restructuring of 13.5 percent of the total public debt would create conditions for the fiscal consolidation and macroeconomic stability of the country.
Currently, Croatia's public debt is close to 85 percent of its gross domestic product.
The decision also included the provision which increases the tolls on highways by 5 percent for whole year from 1 April this year and increase up to 10 percent during the summer tourist season, local media reported.
