Could today mark the beginning of the end for the former Agrokor boss?
Will Ivica Todorić be extradited to Croatia today? That is the question on everyone's lips as the potential beginning of the end of the former Agrokor boss' veritable ''asylum'' may be about to occur. The answer to that pressing question could be found after today's court hearing, one which was initially scheduled for last year upon the request for the shamed ex Agrokor majority owner to be extradited to face trial in the Republic of Croatia.
If an extradition decision is reached today in the United Kingdom, it may still be ultimately delayed for several months, if not longer. It is only fair and within the frame of the law that possible appeals, which Ivica Todorić will be absolutely more than entitled to may hinder or even go against the decision, further prolonging the entire, long process.
As Index writes on the 10th of April, 2018, After a period of almost comical cat and mouse and nobody being entirely sure where in Europe the former top dog was, Todorić turned up in London, where he had been for some time, and was arrested after handing himself in last November at Charing Cross Station in the British capital on the basis of a European arrest warrant issued by Croatia. Todoric was, as we reported back then, released on the very same day following the ready payment of £100,000 bail to the British authorities.
Todorić was dismissed after he paid the considerable bail sum and took away his passport, the shamed ex Agrokor chief was instructed to wear a tag and report to the Metropolitan police three times per week. Following his purchased ''freedom'' in London, a burdened Todorić set about further cementing his place in the United Kingdom, even going as far as to engage the talented and formidable British lawyer, Michael O'Kane, in an attempt to protect him from what was believed to be an inevitable ending, in spite of the relative safety Britain provided him.
The much-anticipated hearing on Todorić's extradition has been scheduled for today, April the 10th, before the Westminster Court which deals primarily with extradition cases.
Todorić and as many as fourteen more people are being investigated by the Republic of Croatia with regard to the horrendous crisis that consumed the still ailing Agrokor, Croatia's formerly largest privately owned company that employs 60,000 people in Croatia and the region, and over which the Croatian state has now taken control. The aforementioned crisis within Agrokor almost took the entire domestic economy down the drain with it, click here to read just how that happened, and how what was poised to be a massive economic earthquake managed to pass as a sizeable rumble.
As we've covered extensively here at TCN, the former Agrokor ''gazda'' is still very much active all the time online, fighting his corner, putting his position across against the actions of the Croatian state, and using his online presence, in the form of blogs and now vlogs, to firmly reject any type of guilt, repeatedly jabbing at numerous high Croatian officials, both present and former, for what he has often referred to as nothing more than pure political persecution.
Since October the 18th last year, the Zagreb County State Attorney's Office has been investigating Todoric's alleged involvement in illegally, personally obtaining billions in the Agrokor case. Along with Todoric, the investigation includes his sons Ante and Ivan, as well as twelve individuals from Agrokor's former management body, including former auditors.
