The Croatian government is not at all considering the possibility of Hungarian oil company MOL acquiring a majority stake in INA, the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Ivan Suker, said after a meeting of the Economic and Social Council (GSV) on Monday.
By March, INA will issue 200 million euros in convertible bonds, of which100 million will be bought by the government or institutional investors and 100million by MOL, and this ratio has seen set in order not to change theownership ratio, Suker said in response to questions from the press.
The bonds will be issued for a period of four or five years and it will bepossible to convert them only after 18 months, he said, adding that a protocolwould be signed on it.
Asked about the possible sale of the Podravka food company, Suker said:"The government has not yet come out with an official position on the saleof Podravka."
The GSV discussed a Pre-accession Economic Programme (PEP) for 2010-2012,which EU membership candidates need to draw up.
The document outlines Croatia's economic priorities in the 2010-2012 period,and our basic goals are to achieve sustainable economic stability and createconditions for economic growth, Suker said.
The Croatian Employers' Association (HUP) supported the PEP, but raised aset of objections to it.
HUP president Ivica Mudrinic said that Croatia needed a new model ofeconomic policy, because it lacked a long-term strategy and sector strategiesfor areas such agriculture and tourism.
The trade unions did not endorse the PEP because they were unhappy with thelevel of their influence on the preparation of the document and because of theadoption of unrealistic measures.
