"Negotiations are already under way and are not easy," Linic said in a Croatian Radio programme on Wednesday morning, adding that he believed amendments would be agreed upon to mutual satisfaction.

When asked if the guilty verdict against Sanader meant that the government would be able to challenge the agreement on controlling rights in INA, Linic said that the government wanted to change the shareholders' agreement and had been discussing the matter throughout the year.

"Regardless of this verdict, the government is not pleased with the shareholders' agreement and I believe it will be amended to mutual satisfaction," the Finance Minister said, noting that an agreement was good if both parties were pleased with it.

The government of Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic is not pleased with the existing agreement and we will continue discussions on it, he added.

The Croatian government owns 44 per cent of shares in INA and is interested in investment in the gas business, in the oil wells in Croatia, in the operation of both refineries in the country and expansion of production and exports to Slovenian and Bosnian markets. This is the government's policy concerning INA's future and we will continue talks on it with MOL as the strategic partner regardless of this verdict, Linic said.

Responding to the interviewer's remark that the verdict considerably improved the government's negotiating position, especially if and when it became final, Linic said he hoped it would help MOL to realise that the Croatian government would insist on it and that there was no reason to waste time in anticipation of the final verdict, stressing the importance of both parties feeling satisfied with the deal.