mpany's activities related to tourism will be transferred to a newly founded company called Unitur, which will have at its disposal EUR 6.5m in nominal capital. This will enable the management to sell off its tourism branch more easily.

Unior, the Zreče-based company renowned as a manufacturer of professional hand tools, forged products, powder metallurgy products and special metalworking machines, has been divided into two parts this Wednesday. Its tourism branch, which includes the Zreče and Rogla spas, has been separated from its basic metallurgy branch. 320 out of the company's 2,100 employees will now work for the newly established Unitour, which will still be owned by Unior. Its CEO Darko Hrastnik has assured the workers who are soon to be transferred to Unitour that they will retain all their rights and obligations under the new employer, meaning they will not be affected by the change in leadership.

Unior's management board had made a pledge to the banks some time ago, when the company ran into financial trouble, that they would sell off its tourism branch, which is still operating in the red. However, no suitable buyer has been found yet. "According to a re-financing contract, if Unior fails to sell its tourism business by 2020, the company will need to return a EUR 5m loan to the banks ahead of time," emphasizes Hrastnik.

Transfer of workers in metallurgy as far back as 2010
Representatives of current and retired employees have expressed opposition to the separation of branches. Mirko Hirci from the Skei trade union explains that the transfer of employees working in the metal industry onto the tourism branch already took place in 2010 with the intention of preventing redundancies. Nearly 50 percent of Unior's shares are state-owned, as the former government run by Alenka Bratušek put it on the list of 15 state-owned companies that should be gradually sold to private owners.

Matija Mastnak, Radio Slovenija; translated by K. Z.