Interpol renews arrest warrant for MOL's CEO, Croatia says

ZAGREB (Reuters) - International police organisation Interpol has decided to renew an arrest warrant for the head of Hungary's energy group MOL issued by Croatia, Croatian police said in a statement on Saturday.

MOL's Chief Executive Zsolt Hernadi has been indicted in Croatia for allegedly bribing former Croatian Prime Pinister Ivo Sanader to allow MOL to become the key decision-maker in Croatian energy company INA where MOL is the biggest but not the majority shareholder.

Last month Croatia began a trial against Sanader, who served as prime minister from 2003 to 2009, and Hernadi in that case. Both deny any wrongdoing. Hernadi is being tried in absentia.

Hungary refused to heed the international arrest warrant for Hernadi and two years ago Interpol dropped it, saying that Croatia and Hungary, as the European Union members, must first handle the case within the block.

Croatian police said in the statement that Interpol's executive committee had on Saturday reversed its previous decision after earlier this year the European Court of Justice upheld Croatia's request.

MOL owns close to 50 percent of INA. Zagreb owns some 45 percent. The two sides have been at odds for years over management rights in INA and two years ago the Croatian government announced a plan to buy back INA'sshares owned by MOL.

(Reporting by Igor Ilic; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)