ZAGREB, October 26, 2019 - Addressing a meeting of his party's main committee in Zagreb on Saturday, Social Democrat (SDP) leader Davor Bernardić said that Prime Minister Andrej Plenković was an obstacle for Croatia's admission to the Schengen passport-free area, and added that this opposition party would start forming a large anti-corruption alliance.

"A detailed, complex and comprehensive report made by the European Commission on a state of affairs in Croatia reads that a crucial condition for Croatia's entry into the Schengen Area is the fight for the widespread corruption in our country," Bernardić said adding that a half of the Plenković cabinet had had to step down due to suspected corruption.

The opposition leader said that the strengthening of independent institutions, including the National Conflict of Interest Commission, was also a prerequisite for Croatia's Schengen bid.

In this context Bernardić accused Plenković of exerting pressure on that commission, claiming that therefore this was an obstacle for Croatia's admission to the Schengen Area. He reiterated criticism over the fact that the parliament's Grand Chamber would be rented to the European People's Party (EPP) for a meeting if its political assembly on 19 November.

Bernardić said that it is the HDZ (Croatian Democratic Union) "that is leasing the whole of Croatia and destroying it."

This past Tuesday the European Commission assessed that Croatia met the conditions for joining the Schengen Area and asked the Council of the EU to include Croatia in the area without internal border controls.

"The European Commission considers that, based on the results of the Schengen evaluation process initiated in 2016, Croatia has taken the measures needed to ensure that the necessary conditions for the full application of the Schengen rules and standards are met," a press release said.

"Croatia will need to continue working on the implementation of all ongoing actions, in particular its management of the external borders, to ensure that these conditions continue to be met. The Commission also today confirms that Croatia continues to fulfil the commitments, linked to the Schengen rules, that it undertook in the accession negotiations," reads the press release issued by the EC.

The Commission's evaluation on technical preparedness is not enough for joining but it is a prerequisite for the member states to make a political decision on the accession.

More SDP news can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, October 1, 2019 - The GONG NGO said on Tuesday it had asked the Council of Europe anti-corruption body GRECO to support the work of Croatia's independent Conflict of Interest Commission and condemn Prime Minister Andrej Plenković over his attacks on it.

GONG posted on its website a letter to GRECO (Group of States against Corruption) in which it says that Plenković is systematically undermining the Commission's work and attacking GONG over its insistence on transparency in the case of Croatia's European Commission candidate Dubravka Šuica.

GONG says the rhetoric which Plenković and Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković use regarding the Conflict of Interest Commission has a negative impact on the fight against corruption in Croatia.

The NGO mentioned a case in which the Commission opened proceedings against Plenković, Deputy PM Davor Božinović and three former ministers because the government did not submit travel requests and bills regarding their trip to Helsinki.

Instead of delivering the required documents, the government sent partial travel requests to some media outlets, GONG says. "Still, the key information is hidden," it warns, adding that Plenković has publicly stated that the Commission's requests are absurd and that it will not submit any documents.

Commission chair Nataša Novaković "was denounced" by Plenković after she began questioning his role in the Agrokor affair, in which a group of private consultants, who secretly wrote the Lex Agrokor law, was later engaged in jobs in Agrokor worth millions, GONG says in the letter.

It claims that by requesting Novaković's exemption and accusing her of a conflict of interest, Plenković has "caused a lengthy blockade in the resolution of his case, since the issue of exemption from the President of the Commission was not legally resolved."

"The fight against corruption and clientelism is crucial for Croatia, the youngest member of the European Union, so we urge GRECO to support the work of the Commission and condemn the inappropriate attacks of the Prime Minister," GONG says.

It adds "that this is not the first incident of verbal abuse of NGOs by the Government" and labels Plenković's statements as "insults."

More news about conflict of interest issues can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, September 11, 2019 - The trial of former prime minister's chief of staff Tomislav Saucha and his secretary Sandra Zeljko begins at Zagreb's County Court on Thursday, in a case dubbed "travel expenses" in which the USKOK anti-corruption office accuses them of falsifying travel requests and pocketing HRK 1 million in the process.

USKOK contends that Saucha, as former PM Zoran Milanović's chief of staff, falsified travel requests together with Zeljko, his then secretary, and that she continued to do so after Saucha no longer held that job.

An investigation was initially launched only into Saucha, who was an MP of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) at the time, and was later expanded to Zeljko, who was initially described as a key witness. The investigation became final in August 2017, when a Zagreb County Court panel of judges granted USKOK's appeal against an earlier decision whereby a judge ruled that expanding the investigation was unlawful.

USKOK's decision to expand the investigation was first quashed when Saucha's vote was crucial for Finance Minister Zdravko Marić's surviving a no-confidence vote in parliament, although he had signed a petition for the vote to be held.

He dismissed suspicions that somebody had "bought" him, claiming he changed his mind about the Marić vote of confidence to avoid a snap election.

More news about the controversial politician can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, September 5, 2019 - The Conflict of Interest Commission on Thursday launched proceedings against Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and several of his ministers for breaching public office and ignoring the Commission's request to submit documents related to trips to attend a European People's Party (EPP) conference in Helsinki.

The Commission launched the proceedings against Plenković, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Davor Božinović, former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture Tomislav Tolušić, former Minister of Demography, Family, Youth and Social Policy Nada Murganić and former Administration Minister Lovro Kuščević because they have not submitted the necessary travel allowance documents to the relevant bodies regarding their attendance at the EPP conference in Helsinki in November last year.

The Commission's Chair Nataša Novaković said that the procedure was launched following a majority vote over a possible breach of public office and failure to submit the relevant documents to the Commission.

Prime Minister Plenković failed to instruct his chief of staff and the ministers in question failed to instruct the relevant services to submit the requested data and documents to the Commission, which gives rise to the possibility that "these officials did not act conscientiously, responsibly and transparently," Novaković said.

Novaković said that the procedure was not initiated because of the officials' trip to Helsinki.

More conflict of interest news can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, September 2, 2019 - The parliamentary Credentials and Privileges Commission on Monday stripped MP Lovro Kuščević of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and a former public administration minister of parliamentary immunity at the request of the State Prosecutor's Office (DORH) for the purpose of pressing criminal charges on suspicion of abuse of office and powers.

DORH suspects Kuščević of wrongdoing in real estate transactions and of abuse of office while he was at the helm of the municipality of Nerežišća and that more suspects were involved in the affairs.

Even though the commission's chairman Željko Tušek appealed to MPs not to make any political qualifications, opposition MPs lambasted Kuščević and Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.

MP Gordan Maras of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) claimed that Kuščević was the prime minister's closest associate, the administration minister until recently and HDZ's political secretary.

"Until two months ago the prime minister fervently defended him and said that he had gone over every sheet of paper with him and that there was nothing contentious there, which is even more concerning," Maras said.

He added that he expects the prime minister to step down if an indictment against Kuščević is upheld because he took political responsibility for him.

Bridge Party MP Robert Podoljnak too considers that the case undoubtedly indicates Prime Minister Plenković's responsibility because he defended Kuščević even though the documents show justified suspicion of a criminal act. He added that it was disappointing that there were no control mechanisms to prevent situations of this nature and that crime and corruption was identified by the media.

Kuščević is suspected of murky real estate deals when he was the mayor of Nerežišća on the island of Brac.

An investigation by the Office for Suppression of Corruption and Organised Crime (USKOK) is extended to Kuščević's brother-in-law Ivica Žuvić, a former chairman of the Nerežišća municipal council Jakša Goić and incumbent municipal mayor Svemir Obilinović.

More news about corruption in Croatia can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, August 29, 2019 - The Office of the Chief State Prosecutor (DORH) has sent a request to the national parliament that a lawmaker, Lovro Kuščević, be stripped of his parliamentary immunity due to suspicion that he committed abuse of office and powers, the parliament's Credentials and Privileges Commission (MIP) said on Thursday.

The commission's chairman, Željko Tušek, explained that he would convene a meeting for Friday so that the MIP can discuss the DORH request to be given the green light to launch an investigation into Kuščević who is believed to have been implicated in several real estate murky dealings when he was the municipal head of Nerežišća on the island of Brač.

The MIP has usually to date granted DORH's requests to strip a parliamentary deputy of immunity.

On 20 August, the Office for Suppression of Corruption and Organised Crime (USKOK) confirmed media reports that, together with the relevant police services (PNUSKOK), it was conducting an investigation into the case of former Public Administration Minister Kuščević, who resigned on 8 July over reported involvement in murky real estate deals.

USKOK said then that it would decide on further steps in this case after collecting the necessary evidence and that the public would be informed in a timely fashion. The information was released after web portals reported that Kuščević’s house on the island of Brač had been searched by the police on the morning of 20 August.

Some web portals claim that Kuščević is suspected of wrongdoing in real estate transactions and of abuse of office while he was at the helm of the municipality and that more suspects were involved in the affairs.

On 8 July, Kuščević resigned from the ministerial post and the post of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) political secretary. Upon his resignation, Kuščević said that he was "a responsible politician".

"I've been in politics a long time," Kuščević said, adding that "it's clear to me that this negative perception in the media, the basis of all the unfounded attacks on me, represents a big burden on both the party and the government."

Kuščević is currently a member of the national parliament and a councillor in the Split-Dalmatia County Assembly.

Kuščević said on Thursday he had no reason to hide behind parliamentary immunity and that he was glad he would have the chance to disprove all the accusations against him.

Speaking to Hina, Kuščević said "there is no reason to treat me differently than any other Croatian citizen. Let the Credentials and Privileges Commission act at its own discretion."

The ex-minister said he was glad he "will finally have the chance... to refute and disprove all the accusations against me, refute all these attacks and present my defence."

Asked who would defend him, Kuščević said he would choose a lawyer, "if that will be necessary at all," after seeing the charges.

More news about corruption in Croatia can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, August 26, 2019 - Former interior minister and incumbent Mayor of Virovitica Ivica Kirin on Monday was acquitted by Zagreb County Court pending appeal of abuse of office and power in the Fimi Media case due to lack of evidence.

The panel of judges concluded that there is no evidence that major material damage was caused in contentious dealings between the Interior Ministry with Fimi Media nor that the marketing agency profited from them.

The USKOK anti-corruption office has announced that it would appeal today's ruling at the Supreme Court.

USKOK charged Kirin with doing business with Fimi Media between 2006 and 2008 at the insistence of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party's then treasurer Mladen Barišić, even though he knew that money was being siphoned into the party's slush fund.

USKOK claimed that Kirin abused his office and power andin that way defrauded the state budget of 7.5 million kuna.

Kirin is one of the senior state officials and company executives that have been tried separately in the greatest corruption scandal in Croatia in which former prime minister Ivo Sanader and the HDZ are on trial. Sanader has since then been ousted out of the party.

More news about corruption in Croatia can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, August 21, 2019 - Social Democratic Party (SDP) leader Davor Bernardić on Wednesday stated that the police investigation into the affairs of former administration minister MP Lovro Kuščević (HDZ), confirms that Prime Minister Andrej Plenković should have replaced Kuščević earlier due to serious suspicion of corruption.

Bernardić underscored that because of cases like this SDP insists on implementing its anti-corruption plan against "ministers and state officials becoming richer while people are emigrating from Croatia due to the poor standard or have to dig in dumpsters." It is absurd that Kuščević was in fact rewarded by being sent back to his seat in parliament regardless of the scandal surrounding him.

"Plenković has to realise that he has to act as a prime minister and protect the interests of Croatian citizens and not behave as an errand boy for the European People's Party," Bernardić said.

Reporters were interested in Bernardić's opinion regarding media headlines that President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović had accepted a suggestion by Serbia's President Aleksandar Vučić not to keep using the expression "Great Serbia aggression," with Bernardić saying that it was without a doubt that an aggression had occurred against Croatia.

"If the allegations are correct that the president listened to that advice to not speak about the truth in the Homeland War, then it is up to the president to make a statement about that," said Bernardić and added that it would be interesting to see what the prime minister and leader of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) had to say about that as "she will be their presidential candidate."

Asked how much the SDP intends to invest in the presidential campaign, Bernardić said that Zoran Milanović would have a very modest campaign.

"SDP will show that it doesn't squander money, but acts rationally. Zoran Milanović will be the next president of Croatia and we believe that we can restore its reputation and dignity. The president's office is an exceptionally important institution. In order to restore trust in institutions we have to restore trust in the president's office, which has been lost for now," he said.

Bernardić supported workers in the health and education sectors who are demanding a wage increase. "Wages in the health and education sectors are too low and need to be increased. It is not clear why the government has for a year been ignoring our proposals to increase wages for everyone, why the rich are being given tax reliefs, why the prime minister and parliament speaker's wages are being increase while at the same time wages are not being increased for those who are exposed the most to migration challenges and they are physicians, pharmacists and IT experts," Bernardić underlined.

More SDP news can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, August 21, 2019 - The Office for Suppression of Corruption and Organised Crime (USKOK) confirmed media reports that it together with the relevant police services (PNUSKOK) is conducting an investigation into the case of former Public Administration Minister Lovro Kuščević who resigned on 8 July over reported involvement in murky real estate deals.

USKOK will decide on further steps in this case after the collection of all necessary evidence and the public will be informed in a timely fashion, the Office said on Tuesday afternoon after web portals reported that Kuščević's house on the island of Brač had been searched by the police on Tuesday morning.

Some of the web portals claim that Kuščević is suspected of wrongdoing in real estate transactions and of abuse of office and that some more suspects were involved in the affairs.

On 8 July, Kuščević resigned from the ministerial post and the post of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) political secretary. Upon his resignation, Kuščević said that he was "a responsible politician".

"I've been in politics a long time," Kuščević said, adding that "it's clear to me that this negative perception in the media, the basis of all the unfounded attacks on me, represents a big burden on both the party and the government."

Kuščević is currently a member of the national parliament and a councillor in the Split-Dalmatia County Assembly.

Prime Minister and Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) leader Andrej Plenković said on Tuesday evening that an USKOK investigation and search of the property of former Public Administration Minister Lovro Kuščević was being conducted following a warrant issued by the court and that he had no other comments.

"Those are just procedural steps, we'll see what it will turn out to be," Plenković told reporters in Opatija.

Plenković said that he would propose Ante Sanader for the new party political secretary.

The new Public Administration Minister Ivan Malenica was sworn in in mid-July.

More news about corruption in Croatia can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, July 24, 2019 - It is unlikely that former Dinamo football club boss Zdravko Mamić will be extradited to Croatia from Bosnia and Herzegovina after the country's prosecutors underscored on Tuesday that that would be unlawful.

A hearing was held at the State Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday regarding Mamić's extradition on charges that he and several others had siphoned 200 million kuna from the football club.

The court is expected to deliver its decision in the next ten days, Mamić's defence attorney said. Bosnian Justice Minister Josip Grubeša has the final says on Croatia's extradition request.

Mamić fled to Bosnia and Herzegovina and is currently residing in Medjugorje. During today's hearing, Mamić and his local defence attorney Zdravko Rajić objected to the extradition.

Prosecutor Gordana Bosiljčić had a similar stance. "The condition for Mamić to be extradited to a foreign country is that the criminal act with which he has been charged constitutes a criminal act in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is not the case with either the penal code in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina or in the Republika Srpska or Brčko District," she underscored.

Bosiljčić said that of the 32 offences covered by the indictment against Mamić, only seven were committed after Bosnia and Croatia signed an extradition agreement, adding that the agreement could not be applied retroactively.

Mamić's defence attorney said the crimes he was charged with occurred before the agreement went into force.

The agreement was signed in 2012 and went into force in 2014, and the two countries interpret it differently, said Rajić.

Mamić was ordered to surrender his passport and is obliged to regularly report to local police in Čitluk until the procedure is finalised. Rajić asked the State Court to lift the measures.

More news about the case of Zdravko Mamić can be found in the Sports section.