"A possibility of cancelling the tenders is not ruled out," Zigic was quoted by the local press in Sarajevo on Wednesday as saying.
Zigic, who is also the chairman of the Bosnian Federation's commission to select a strategic partner for the privatisation of Bosnia-Herzegovina's largest oil company, said that a final decision would be made by the government of Bosnian Federation. Until then all the three tenders are being considered, he added.
Apart from the tender offered by INA and MOL, there are also tenders from Slovenia's OMV-Adriatic and Euroinzenjering company from the northeastern Bosnian city of Tuzla.
The Energopetrol director-general, Namik Buslatic, who is a member of the said commission, voiced surprise at reports that the government was thinking of cancelling the tender. He told the local media that the bid of INA-MOL was the most favourable, while the bid of the OMV-Adriatic failed to meet basic requirements.
Representatives of INA in Bosnia were also surprised by reports on the federation's plans to revoke the tender.
The Oslobodjenje daily said reports on possible cancellation of the tender were spread by government members who lobby for the OMV. They also claim that in case of INA'a takeover of Energopetrol, that Croatian company would hold monopoly in the oil products market in Bosnia.
The Croatian and Hungarian companies have agreed to all the conditions set by the Bosnian Federation government, including those to take over Energopetrol's debts and keep all its employees. INA and MOL said they would invest 150 million Convertible Marks in the Bosnian company. On the other hand OMV said it was willing to invest 33 Convertible Marjks in Energopetrol over three years.