Most ministers would not comment on Thursday on the appointment of Srecko Ferencak, the secretary-general of the ruling coalition's Croatian People's Party (HNS) sentenced for embezzlement to one year's imprisonment pending appeal, to the supervisory board of the state-run oil pipeline operator JANAF.
His party colleague, Foreign Minister Vesna Pusic, told the press the appointment was not contentious.
Asked if he was concerned that a sentenced person had been appointed to the supervisory board of a strategic company, Transport Minister Zlatko Komadina said "everyone has their responsibility" and that those who had appointed him, and Ferencak himself, should think about their decision. He added that he would resign from the board if he was in Ferencak's place.
Administration Minister Arsen Bauk said he would not vote for such an appointment, while Tourism Minister Veljko Ostojic said he did not decide on such matters.
Interior Minister Ranko Ostojic, Education Minister Zeljko Jovanovic, Justice Minister Orsat Miljenic, and Environment Minister Mirela Holy had no comment.
Zagreb's County Court last year sentenced Ferencak to one year in prison pending appeal for making more than HRK 9.5 million, together with his associate Petar Turkovic, on an unlawful sale of city land in the capital. According to the ruling, they bought the land from the City of Zagreb under favourable terms because it had been intended for the construction of a centre for the disabled, but resold it to the Konzum retail chain at a price several times higher.
Ferencak appealed the sentence and the case is now at the Supreme Court. The prosecution has said it would appeal as well.
Ferencak and Turkovic dismissed the charges, saying they had invested their own money in the project and had not defrauded anyone.
Ferencak was appointed to the JANAF supervisory board yesterday by HANDA, the Croatian agency for mandatory oil and oil products reserves which has a 26.28 per cent stake in JANAF.
