By Margit Feher

BUDAPEST--The Hungarian government Wednesday asked oil and gas company MOL Nyrt. (MOL.BU) to consider selling its 49.1% stake in Croatian peer INA d.d. (INA.ZG), while rejecting efforts by Zagreb to regain control over INA by issuing an arrest warrant for MOL's top executive.

"The Hungarian government--representing the Hungarian state, the biggest single owner in MOL--requests MOL's management to review the company's portfolio and (if it decides so) prepare the sale of the INA shares it holds to the Croatian government or to a third party," the government said in a release.

The Hungarian state holds a 24.6% stake in MOL, which owns a 49.1% stake and management rights in INA. The Croatian government owns 44.8% of INA.

Write to Margit Feher at margit.feher@wsj.com