MPs of the ruling HDZ party said on Wednesday they would not support the opposition's motion for a commission of inquiry for the Ina energy company "for several reasons," state news platform Hina reported on Wednesday.

“This is a show in which it is already known who the culprit is and what they are in for,” MP Branko Bacic (HDZ) said during a parliamentary debate on the establishment of the commission. Bacic said one of the reasons why HDZ would not support the opposition’s motion was “the opposition’s conduct on the Anti-Corruption Council.”

“We warned you not to act contrary to law but you keep insisting, and now you expect to discuss the same topic before another body, that won’t happen,” said Bacic.

Hina did not explain what Bacic was referring to.

Regarding the Ina gas resale scam, Bacic said that “judicial proceedings had begun” with a decision to open an investigation in the case, and that “a parliamentary commission of inquiry could therefore not be formed.”

“The government and the HDZ do not have any influence on the work of prosecutorial authorities, let them conduct activities regarding that case,” Bacic said, accusing opposition MPs of questioning”only certain aspects of Ina’s operations while not showing interest in others,” such as the sale of oil fields in Syria.

On the other hand, opposition MPs insist that a commission of inquiry should be established.

“You will be in the majority in any commission we form, if you have nothing to hide, what’s the problem?” quipped MP Domagoj Hajdukovic (Social Democrats). “In the previous parliament assembly, commissions were not considered a problem, it was good practice,” said MP Bojan Glavasevic (Green-Left Bloc).

Vesna Vucemilovic (Croatian Sovereignists) said her group would support anything that would help shed light on relevant facts regarding energy, because food and energy production was of strategic importance for any country, especially in a time of crisis.

“A commission of inquiry would be another opportunity for the government to prove its commitment to the fight against corruption,” she said.

MP Zarko Tusek (HDZ) said the essence of the opposition’s motion was an attempt to keep the discussion about Ina going. MP Mirela Ahmetovic (SDP) dismissed his claim, noting that the commission of inquiry for Ina was being proposed because the situation in Ina was “not good,” both in terms of energy management and in terms of corporate management.

“Mol decides at which price Croatian energy products are imported and exported, whether and when they will be processed in the Croatian refinery and whether the refinery will exist… That does not bear witness to efficient management of energy products, and the key question is why the prime minister is keeping silent,” she said.

MP Dalija Oreskovic (Centre) offered a deal to the HDZ. “You have the majority in the parliament, oblige the government and the Economy Ministry not to pay Mol the €238 million from the Washington-based court’s arbitration ruling,” she said.

She explained that when the verdict against former PM Ivo Sanader (HDZ) for corruption in two agreements became final, both agreements became null ad void and Croatia no longer has to pay Mol the damages from the court ruling.

As regards relations with Hungary, MP Glavasevic said that Croatia’s relations with Hungary throughout history had been “anything but brotherly.”

“I would like the prime minister and the parliamentary majority to open their eyes and realize that we are a target of the neighboring country’s colonial policy and that that country does not want anything good for us, with oil companies only being an example of that policy,” he said.

MP Hajdukovic noted that the Hungarian people is a friendly people but that “the regime in Budapest” is not a friend to Croatia “and we need to become aware of that.”