The Dnevni List daily quotes the federal Prime Minister Ahmet Hazipasic as saying that the government of the Bosnian Croat-Muslim entity could not be held responsible for the fact that some more debts of Energopetrol were subsequently established. The consortium of oil companies INA from Croatia and MOL from Hungary expressed plans to privatise the Bosnian company but the consortium declined to take over the debt which was discovered after Ina and MOL showed their interest.
"It is not fair to shift the blame to the (Federation's) government for the debt which the consortium, that scanned the situation, should have first found and pointed out that problem," the premier told the paper.
The text of the first invitation for tenders for injection of new capital to and privatisation of Energopetrol failed to mention this debt of some 15 million euros, the existence of which was later established. The consortium of Ina and MOL sent the best tender that time.
However, upon the discovery of the new debt, Ina and MOL refused to take over it. After that the federal ministry authorised the finance ministry to try find a model for regulating that debt either through its write-off or some clearing schemes as the federation also owed some money to Energopetrol. This topic is to be discussed at the next session of the government.
Hadzipasic told the paper that he was no going to yield to demands of trade unions of Energopetrol employees who insist on the company's privatisation as soon as possible.
The trade unions threaten to go on strike if the government fails to adopt a decision on the privatisation this week.
Hadzipasic believes, that such an industrial action is not to the benefit of the workers but in favour of potential buyers of the company.
He, however, admits, that the federal privatisation agency was now preparing documents for the new invitation in order "not to lose any time".