The Hungarian government said today it was planning a legal response to the MOL-INA case and announced the possibility of selling MOL's stake in the Croatian oil and gas company INA. It also cancelled Foreign Minister Janos Martonyi's participation at the Croatia Forum on energy security in Dubrovnik on Thursday and Friday
Earlier today, MOL said that by issuing an Interpol Red Notice and a European Arrest Warrant (EAW) for MOL's CEO Zsolt Hernadi, the Croatian authorities were violating the law of the European Union, announcing it would fight this with all legal means.
The Croatian authorities suspect Hernadi of bribing former Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader with EUR 10 million into giving MOL management rights in INA.
Asked to comment on MOL's statement that the Croatian request to question Hernadi was meant to intimidate him and MOL, Croatian Economy Minister Ivan Vrdoljak said earlier today that he would abide by the government's framework for negotiations with INA on a new INA shareholders' deal and what was agreed at the first meeting between government and MOL representatives.
MOL's shares at the Budapest Stock Exchange dropped 1.81 per cent around 3 pm today to their lowest level since April 26, while INA's shares on the Zagreb Stock Exchange stagnated.