After a decade of legal and financial turmoil, Serbia’s oldest brewery, Vršačka Pivara, is closer than ever to finding a new owner.
The winning bid for the company’s assets came from Pančevo-based Lider Izgradnja, offering 75.47 million dinars, matching the starting price set at a public auction.
This bid now awaits the potential intervention of the Serbian government, which holds the right of first refusal due to the brewery’s cultural heritage status.
If the state chooses not to exercise this right, the sale will proceed with Lider Izgradnja, marking a new chapter for the factory, which has been in receivership since 2010.
The brewery’s assets, including production facilities, equipment, and stakes in other companies, are now set to change hands.
However, the state’s final decision could still shift the outcome of this complex deal, further highlighting the challenges facing Serbia’s industrial sector.