The Government of Montenegro intends to increase the own controlling stake in Luka Bar, the company that manages the port of Bar, in view of a possible merger of the latter with Port of Adria JSC, the company that manages the western area of the port and which is currently controlled by the Turkish terminalista group Global Ports Holding (GPH). This was announced on Saturday by the Montenegrin newspaper "Vijesti" explaining that the government's intention would be to get the two third party ownership of Luka Bar so you can hire strategic decisions.

The government currently holds 54.05% of Luka's capital. Koper and the goal, therefore, would be to acquire a further 13% about with funds - specified the newspaper - which are provided in the rebalancing of this year's budget.

Regarding the possible merger between Luka Bar and Port of Adria, "Vijesti" specified that the operation should be approved by the respective shareholders' meetings by decision hired with a two-thirds majority of the shareholders entitled voting. By Luka Bar has been several times Proposed the need for the merger in order to solve the problem of the lack of port areas which would not allow the Port of Bar to seize development opportunities.

"Vijesti" recalled that the government has more expressed their desire to acquire the Port of Adria, the company that manages a terminal for freight traffic miscellaneous and passengers who were previously operated by Luka Bar and which in 2013 was bought by Global Ports Holding ( of 18 November 2013 and 2 January 2014). Pointing out that the Port of Adria operates in loss for several years now, the newspaper also recalled whereas last June Global Ports Holding announced that it was in Negotiations to sell all its activities to the Group shipowner Mediterranean Shipping Còompany (MSC), negotiations which - let us remember - have had no result ( of 16 June and 12 July 2022).