Asked about the speed with which Mamic was taken into custody because of the ethnic slurs, Jovanovic told reporters that everyone saying it was a matter of politics was ill-intentioned.

"It just proves that Croatia is an organised state in which no one can insult on national, racial, religious or any other grounds," he said.

Mamic on Friday uttered a series of insults against Jovanovic on Soundset Plavi Radio, saying "he hates everything that is Croatian" and that "as a Serb who never worked in education or sports, he can't run this most important department in Croatia."

Mamic spent the night in custody and will be questioned later today at the Zagreb municipal prosecutor's office, which will decide whether to remand him in custody.