PM Plenkovic and ministers answered the MP's questions in Croatian Parliament

During the Question Time in Croatian Parliament, Prime Minister Plenkovic and members of the Government answered 39 MP's questions.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic repeated in the parliament on Tuesday that the government planned to buy back Hungarian oil and gas company MOL's stake in INA, adding that so far he had not heard "of any better or more efficient model (of purchase) that would not include an increase in public debt, than the proposal for an initial public offering of 25% minus one share of the HEP power company."

Plenkovic said this at the beginning of Question Time, when asked by Social Democratic Party (SDP) leader Davor Bernardic to give him "a clear, unambiguous and substantial answer" as to whether the state would buy MOL's interest in INA and how it intended to do it.

"This government has been dealing with the issue of INA from the first day of its term. Following the ruling of the arbitral tribunal in Geneva we want a broad consensus to be reached on the buyout of MOL's stake in INA, I believe that it is good for the national economy, INA and Croatia's energy security and supply. We discussed a model that would be the most appropriate in terms of generating funds for the purchase without increasing public debt. Of all the proposals discussed, not one was better... than the initial public offering of 25% minus one share of HEP. Those familiar with corporate management know that exactly that is the way to help Croatia, as the 100% owner of HEP, to keep, with 75% plus one share, all management rights in HEP without selling national resources," said Plenkovic.

He said this model would also result in higher standards of the company governance.

"This government is open to dialogue with all stakeholders and is willing to hear other proposals as well, but of all the discussed proposals, this one seems to be the most appropriate," said Plenkovic.

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