"No one can block or slow down cooperation between the government and the Office of the Chief State Prosecutor in fighting and eradicating corruption," said Seks.

"Attorneys choose for themselves how they defend their clients, but this is about protection of national interests important for Croatia, and tabloidisation of the case is shameful," said Seks.

He added, "(Former PM) Ivo Sanader could not stop this government and the Prime Minister, and Nobilo will not be able to do it either."

Nobilo asked State Prosecutor Bajic to refuse to meet with Kosor about the INA-MOL case, saying Kosor must have witness status in this case and that if the criteria applied to his client are applied to her, she could become a suspect.

Nobilo contacted Bajic by letter after Kosor's proposal that they meet to see what the government can do to protect national interests following, as she said, very serious speculations about investigations into bribes and the Hungarian oil company MOL.

The meeting Kosor is proposing is contrary to the interests of criminal proceedings and undermines the right to a fair trial, Nobilo said. He is defending Polancec in a recent investigation into a EUR 10 million bribe which MOL's management board chairman allegedly paid to former PM Ivo Sanader in exchange for management rights in INA.

Nobilo said that as a member of the HDZ presidency, Kosor voted for the transfer of management rights in INA to MOL as well as for the separation of the gas business from INA. He added that as a deputy PM, Kosor discussed and approved every negotiating position of the government, that she was on the government team that defined the final versions of the agreement with MOL, voted for the final text of the agreement, personally took part in the final stage of the negotiations, and authorised Polancec to sign the agreement she now wanted to contest.