Zlatko Mehun was commenting on claims that Jelavic, who holds both Bosnian and Croatian citizenship, is hiding in Croatia.
Earlier this week, the State Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina sentenced Jelavic, a former member of the state Presidency, to 10 years in jail for embezzling money Croatia had sent as assistance to Bosnian Croats in the 1990s.
Vecernji List daily said on Sunday that Jelavic fled to Croatia in order to surrender to the Croatian authorities. The Croatian newspaper cited a media representative for Jelavic who said that Jelavic would ask for a new trial in Croatia.
"Contacts regarding Jelavic's surrender to the Croatian authorities have already been established because an international warrant has been issued for his arrest," the unidentified source said, refusing to say where Jelavic is hiding in Croatia and when he will turn himself in.
Ministry spokesman Mehun told Hina that "Jelavic is a Croatian citizen and under existing laws Croatia extradites its citizens only to the Hague (war crimes) tribunal".
Mehun said that under Croatian laws, the police had no grounds to act. He added Croatia could ask Bosnia to be given jurisdiction over the criminal prosecution, which is done through the Justice Ministry.
Vecernji List said Jelavic fled to Croatia to avoid the political lynching by the High Representative to Bosnia, Paddy Ashdown.
Citing Bosnian intelligence sources, Bosnia's state television said on Saturday evening that Jelavic was hiding in the Split area in southern Croatia.
The former Bosnian Croat leader has been on the run since Thursday, when he failed to appear in court for sentencing.