Speaking to the press on the sidelines of a parliament session, Počivalšek noted that Mercator was acquired in 2014 by an over-indebted company whose business operations were based on uneconomical foundations, referring to Agrokor.

The Croatian conglomerate had its own food processing industry, which represented competition to our companies, the minister added as he argued that Agrokor has been a bad owner of Mercator.

"We want a healthy owner for Mercator. I hope that the steps made by the current ownership of the new Agrokor will enable Mercator to develop and operate normally," he said.

Počivalšek admitted he had a "slight fear" as the new owners, with the Russian banks Sberbank and VTB holding the largest stakes, had announced that they would sell their stakes in Fortenova Grupa, to which Agrokor's subsidiaries are to be transferred.

The transfer of Mercator to Fortenova Grupa is pending the approval of all 55 creditor banks of Mercator.

"I believe and trust the banks that they will correctly assess their interest in financing Mercator and its suppliers, which sell EUR 500m in goods to Mercator a year."

The crisis management of Agrokor said last week that the agreement under which the claims towards Agrokor and its subsidiaries to Fortenova Grupa would enter into force on 1 April.

Fabris Peruško, the special trustee of the Croatian government for Agrokor, has told the newspaper Dnevnik when asked about Mercator that a sale would not be so simple to carry out before the settlement with creditors.

"The settlement speaks about the transfer to a new group and only then the new group can decide whet to do next. Mercator is part of the settlement, and it thus needs to be transferred to the new group.

"If someone wants to buy Mercator from the new group, this is something that the new owners - financial institutions - will decide on," added Peruško.