The US-based company Castleton Commodities International (CCI) expressed its readiness to be a new strategic partner of INA, Croatia’s national oil company, Croatia’s Government has confirmed to N1.

N1 television had asked the Government for details regarding local media reports that US company CCI sent an official letter containing this information to Croatia’s Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic in March.  

“Our Government can confirm that on March 12, 2018, it received a letter from Castleton Commodities International LLC, sent by CCI’s vice president Mr. Zichichi. In the letter, Mr Zichichi expresses an interest in a strategic partnership with INA and the Croatian Government, as well as an interest in assisting with the purchase of Hungarian oil company MOL’s holdings in INA,” the Government said in a statement to N1.  

The statement to N1 said that 

the Government had already established a Council for Negotiations with MOL tasked with providing guidance, and taking all necessary actions regarding the matter, as well as with presenting its proposals on the preparation, implementation and financing of the possible acquisition of INA shares owned by MOL.  

The Government said that in April it chose a consortium consisting of Morgan Stanley, the Intesa Sanpaolo Group, and Privredna banka Zagreb dd as an investment advisor on the matter.