Matjaž Polenčič, the administrator of the court-mandated debt restructuring at the Maribor construction company, who filed for bankruptcy again last week and was now appointed as the receiver, stressed that this was at least an end to the agony of the workers.

At the hearing, Konstruktor boss Samo Majcenovic was only asked to explain when and how the workers would get their pay, and as he failed to answer, the judge confirmed the bankruptcy.

The director was critical of the slow court procedures in the cases of Konstruktor's claims amounting to several million euros, which he believes could have prevented receivership.

Majcenovic meanwhile told the media on Saturday that a number of irregularities had been found in the work of the former management and that he had filed compensation claims totalling EUR 8.2m.

Trade union representative Mladen Kutnjak, who expressed relief on the workers' behalf, also announced criminal reports against current and former managers and owners of the company, but refused to speak of names.

The unions made an appeal to the Slovenian president and human rights ombudsman in late August to help Konstruktor's workers, as the situation in the company, which went into debt restructuring earlier that month, was so bad some workers were starving.