German airline Lufthansa has dismissed media allegations it may take over Croatian national air carrier Croatia Airlines. Croatian web site Tportal has been informed by Lufthansa that the company has not been negotiating the purchase of Croatia Airlines.

Lufthansa refused to comment about additional media speculation about such a deal.

It said: "We have very good cooperation with Croatia Airlines that we hope will continue. At present, we are concentrating on the integration of Austrian Airlines (AUA), British Midland Airways and Brussels Airlines into the Lufthansa Group."

Croatian daily Jutarnji list reported that Lufthansa might be interested in acquiring Croatia Airlines after an interview with Croatia Airlines board chairman Ivan Misetic last week, who said his company had financial problems and could be saved only by its sale to another airline.

Croatia Airlines suffered losses of 100 million kunas (€13.7 million) in 2009.