ZAGREB, April 23, 2019 - Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) deputy president Milijan Brkić said on Tuesday, ahead of the party's presidency meeting in Zagreb, that in a democracy state institutions rather than political parties prosecute crimes.

"Today the inner presidency is holding a regular meeting. The party president proposes topics for the agenda. As far as I know, this is the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and not the Communist Party, thank God. In a democracy there are state institutions in charge of prosecution and those are definitely not political parties," Brkić said in his comment on media speculations that the HDZ leadership is expected to discuss Brkić's political fate after he, his brother Jozo Brkić and two more men – Franjo Varga and Blaž Curić – were put under investigation for hacking computer systems.

Brkić today said, while coming to the meeting, that he had never criticised the state institutions. Several days ago, Brkić said that it was disgraceful into what some individuals had turned state institutions.

A police statement released on 15 April read that members of the National Police Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organised Crime (PNUSKOK) in Osijek had completed "a criminal investigation into four Croatian nationals, aged 37, 49, 50 and 50, and on 15 April 2019 filed with the Osijek Municipal Prosecutor's Office a criminal report due to the suspicion that they had committed offences against computer systems, programmes and data to the detriment of several persons."

"There is reasonable suspicion that over a longer period of time one of the suspects, acting at the instigation and with the assistance of the other suspects, committed a number of offences involving the unlawful interception of computer data and computer abuse, thus unlawfully accessing the content of the injured parties' user accounts and making it available to the other suspects," the police statement said.

The prosecutorial authorities in Osijek have recently stated they have launched a confidential investigation into the four suspects, and that the probe is confidential for the sake of protection of private life of the women whose computer systems were hacked.

According to media reports, Brkić was recently questioned for intercepting his former wife's emails by using the services of Varga, a former Interior Ministry IT specialist accused in the fake texts case. The media said Brkić's brother Jozo was also accused in the interception case and that the police allegedly found out about it by examining the computers and documents seized in the case against Varga and Curić, former chauffeur of Agriculture Minister Tomislav Tolušić and a close friend of Brkic.

The USKOK anti-corruption office suspects Varga and Curić in the fake texts case of obstructing the collection of evidence and of aiding and abetting in the commission of said crime.

HDZ leader and Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said before the start of a meeting of the party's leadership that the HDZ inner presidency would discuss a budget surplus, the country's credit rating and the party's victory in the forthcoming elections for the European Parliament.

Asked by the press whether the party leadership would discuss the political fate of the HDZ deputy president Milijan Brkić, who was put under investigation for hacking his former wife's emails, Plenković said that they would discuss "the surplus, credit investment rating, the victory in the European elections and other topics".

Responding to reporters' questions about Brkić's fate, the HDZ political secretary and Public Administration Minister, Lovro Kuščević, said that everyone involved in the case must be heard out.

"We have heard that Brkić has something to say about this situation, and when we hear what both sides have to say, we will discuss it," Kuščević said.

More HDZ news can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, April 19, 2019 - The Osijek municipal office of the Chief State Prosecutor has launched a confidential investigation into Parliament Deputy Speaker and Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) vice-president, Milijan Brkić, his brother Jozo Brkić and two more men – Franjo Varga and Blaž Curić, the two suspects in the fake text messages case – for hacking computer systems.

The prosecutorial authorities did not reveal the identities of the suspects in their press release on Thursday, and they only stated that they had initiated an investigation against the four suspects after receiving a criminal report filed by the police against those four persons for committing "offences against computer systems, programmes and data to the detriment of a number of persons."

The police statement which was released this past Monday read that members of the National Police Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organised Crime (PNUSKOK) in Osijek had completed "a criminal investigation into four Croatian nationals, aged 37, 49, 50 and 50, and on 15 April 2019 filed with the Osijek Municipal Prosecutor's Office a criminal report due to the suspicion that they had committed offences against computer systems, programmes and data to the detriment of several persons."

"There is reasonable suspicion that over a longer period of time one of the suspects, acting at the instigation and with the assistance of the other suspects, committed a number of offences involving the unlawful interception of computer data and computer abuse, thus unlawfully accessing the content of the injured parties' user accounts and making it available to the other suspects," the police statement said.

The prosecutorial authorities say that their investigation is confidential for the sake of protection of private life of the women whose computer systems were hacked.

According to media reports, Brkić was questioned last week for intercepting his former wife's emails by using the services of Franjo Varga, a former Interior Ministry IT specialist accused in the fake texts case.

The media said Brkić's brother Jozo was also accused in the interception case and that the police allegedly found out about it by examining the computers and documents seized in the case against Varga and Curić, former chauffeur of Agriculture Minister Tomislav Tolušić and a close friend of Brkić.

The USKOK anti-corruption office suspects Varga and Curić in the fake texts case of obstructing the collection of evidence and of aiding and abetting in the commission of said crime.

More HDZ news can be found in the Politics section.

A brand new building is set to be built down in Dubrovnik as a mosque for the religious needs of almost 1,500 people who identify as Muslims (according to the 2011 census) will be constructed.

As Al Jazeera Balkans writes on the 16th of April, 2019, the Islamic centre which will be located in the Gruž area of the City of Dubrovnik should become a reality in just two years, according to a report from Dubrovacki dnevnik.

As soon as all of the required documentation is dealt with and settled, the construction of the mosque, complete with a minaret, is likely to begin, which is not expected to last for a particularly long time. For now, building permits are being waited on.

The future mosque's location will be at a space on the site of former GP Dubrovnik in Gruž, the project foresees the construction of a mosque complete with a minaret, which will be built in Mediterranean or Moroccan style.

"The project will go its way, it will not take long until we get the construction permit, so we're currently preparing the paperwork, and everything will be ready for construction in two years. We have to emphasise the fact that we in the Islamic community have great cooperation with the city authorities which have been coming to meet with us,'' said the Islamic Community's president, Fehim Vukotić.

The construction of an Islamic center is a long-term desire of Dubrovnik's resident Muslim population, of whom in Dubrovnik, at least according to the census of 2011, there are 1,499. That number has likely risen since then.

By building an Islamic center and a mosque with a minaret, there will finally be a place dedicated to numerous social content and events for the southern Dalmatian city's local Muslim community, as well as prayer rooms.

Make sure to follow our dedicated lifestyle page for much more. If it's just Dubrovnik and the extreme south of Dalmatia you're interested in, give Total Dubrovnik a follow. Need ideas for what to do when visiting the Pearl of the Adriatic, check out Dubrovnik in a Page.

ZAGREB, April 16, 2019 - Commenting on a criminal complaint filed against the deputy speaker of parliament and deputy leader of the ruling HDZ party, Milijan Brkić, in the so-called false text messages case, President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović said on Tuesday that the principle of presumption of innocence should apply to all citizens.

"I have no comment. I can only say that the principle under which anyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty must always apply to all citizens of Croatia, including politicians," Grabar-Kitarović told reporters.

She said she could not interfere in the work of judicial authorities.

Police said on Monday they had brought charges against Milijan Brkić, his brother, and Franjo Varga and Blaz Curić, two suspects in the fake text messages case, for committing cybernetic offences against several persons.

According to media reports, Brkić was questioned last week for intercepting his former wife's emails by using the services of Franjo Varga, a former Interior Ministry IT expert accused in the fake texts case.

Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković said on Tuesday that he did not have enough information about the case of Deputy Speaker Milijan Brkić.

When asked by the press if Brkić should step down as Deputy Parliament Speaker considering the criminal report against him, Jandroković said: "At this moment, I don't have enough information to be able to answer that question, I expect that in the coming days we will learn what the case is about and then we will discuss the matter and see how to proceed."

He added that he had not talked to Brkić yet but would when the time came.

Jandroković resolutely dismissed claims that state institutions are being used for intra-party conflicts. "I can say with certainty that they are not being used for that nor is there any evidence of that. If someone has evidence of abuse of state institutions for political score-settling, they should submit it," Jandroković told reporters after a session of the Parliament Presidency.

Responding to a reporter's remark that Brkić himself had accused police and state institutions of trying to frame him, Jandroković said that Brkić's accusations were serious and that they would "most definitely" have to discuss them. "However, it is still too early to talk about it because I don't have all the information on the criminal report. Once I have more information, I will be able to give a better answer," said Jandroković.

He would not give a straightforward answer when asked if the affair was harming the HDZ. "We will see what the coming days will bring, at the moment I don't know what the charges are about and I cannot say more," he said, adding that as the HDZ's secretary-general he had not talked to Brkić yet. "We will talk most definitely, when the time comes," he added.

Asked if one would have to wait for a regular parliament session or call an early one if a request was made to strip Brkić of immunity as a member of parliament, Jandroković said that those were hypothetical questions which he could not answer at present.

Social Democratic Party (SDP) whip Arsen Bauk on Tuesday did not want to predict the "political future and judicial fate," of Brkić, claiming that HDZ "is obviously using certain institutions to send messages to individuals."

"As far as his further political future and judicial fate is concerned, we will see how that will unravel," Bauk told reporters commenting on the criminal complaint against Brkić. “How does the saying go (...) 'something is rotten in the country of Denmark.' It is obvious that HDZ is using certain institutions to send messages to individuals. That is the perception. We will see what will come of that," Bauk underscored.

The MOST party's political secretary Nikola Grmoja said today that this was an internal HDZ party dispute and that MOST did not intend to occupy itself with HDZ's scandals. If we were to occupy ourselves with HDZ's scandals, we wouldn't have time for anything else. MOST will focus on its proposals during the EP election campaign, he added.

More news on Milijan Brkić can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, April 15, 2019 - Without revealing the suspects' identities, police on Monday said that they had filed a criminal report against HDZ party deputy president and Deputy Parliament Speaker Milijan Brkić, his brother, and Franjo Varga and Blaž Curić, the two suspects in the fake text messages case, for committing "offences against computer systems, programmes and data to the detriment of a number of persons."

A police statement read that members of the National Police Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organised Crime (PNUSKOK) in Osijek have completed "a criminal investigation into four Croatian nationals, aged 37, 49, 50 and 50, and on 15 April 2019 filed with the Osijek Municipal Prosecutor's Office a criminal report due to the suspicion that they had committed offences against computer systems, programmes and data to the detriment of several persons."

"There is reasonable suspicion that over a longer period of time one of the suspects, acting at the instigation and with the assistance of the other suspects, committed a number of offences involving the unlawful interception of computer data and computer abuse, thus unlawfully accessing the content of the injured parties' user accounts and making it available to the other suspects," the police statement said.

According to media reports, Brkić was questioned last week for intercepting his former wife's emails by using the services of Franjo Varga, a former Interior Ministry IT expert accused in the fake texts case.

The media said Brkić's brother Jozo was also accused in the interception case and that the police allegedly found out about it by examining the computers and documents seized in the case against Varga and Blaž Curić, former chauffeur of Agriculture Minister Tomislav Tolušić and a close friend of Brkić.

The USKOK anti-corruption office suspects Varga and Curić in the fake texts case of obstructing the collection of evidence and of aiding and abetting in the commission of said crime.

Prosecutors contend that Varga created fake text messages, including for former football mogul Zdravko Mamić, and that last September Curić warned Varga that he was under investigation.

After the affair came to light, the media claimed that Varga's services were also used by former HDZ president Tomislav Karamarko and Brkić, both of whom denied the accusations.

More news about Milijan Brkić can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, April 14, 2019 - Prime Minister and HDZ president Andrej Plenković would not comment on Sunday on reports that parliament's deputy speaker and his party's deputy president Milijan Brkić was questioned by police a few days ago as part of an investigation into the fake text messages case, saying the case could hurt the HDZ in the campaign for the European Parliament elections only if someone wanted to make fabrications to that end.

"I read this information that was in the media last night as well as the statement from the Interior Ministry. At this moment, there's no additional information and I don't want to comment on something I don't know enough about," Plenković told the press in Jasenovac.

He said he had not talked with Brkić. Asked if this case could hurt the HDZ's EP election campaign, he said, "I really don't see what this has to do with the HDZ and its candidates or the European Parliament elections. I can't see a connection even if I wanted to."

A journalist remarked that "all sorts of things are coming to light" in the fake texts case, Plenković said he did not know and had no contact with the people involved.

The media reported on Saturday that Brkić was questioned as a suspect two days before for intercepting his wife's emails by using the services of Franjo Varga, a former Interior Ministry IT expert accused in the fake texts case.

Citing confidentiality, police director Nikola Milina did not tell the press today in what capacity Brkić was questioned in the fake texts case.

Brkić said last night it was a disgrace "what individuals have turned state institutions into."

Asked if he agreed with Brkić, Plenković said he was not familiar with the case and that institutions should be left to do their job.

More news about Brkić can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, April 14, 2019 - The Police Directorate said on Saturday that, as part of an investigation into the fake text messages case, other offences against computer systems, programmes and data were uncovered but that, due to confidentiality, it could not say more, so there is no confirmation of media reports that Milijan Brkić, vice president of the ruling HDZ party and parliament deputy speaker, was questioned as a suspect in those offences.

The media reported on Saturday that Brkić was questioned two days before for intercepting his wife's emails by using the services of Franjo Varga, a former Interior Ministry IT expert accused in the fake texts case.

The media said Brkić's brother Jozo was also accused in the interception case and that the police allegedly found out about it by examining the computers and documents seized in the case against Varga and Blaž Curić, former chauffeur of Agriculture Minister Tomislav Tolušić and a close friend of Brkić. The USKOK anti-corruption office suspects Varga and Curić in the fake texts case of obstructing the collection of evidence and of aiding and abetting in the commission of said crime.

Commenting on the allegations late on Saturday, Brkić said in an SMS to Hina that it was a disgrace "what individuals have turned state institutions into," neither confirming nor denying that he is a suspect.

In February, after an indictment was filed in the fake texts case, Brkić said he was neither included nor mentioned in the indictment against Varga and Curić which the Osijek County Court upheld on March 18. After spending the maximum six months in investigative custody, Varga and Curić were released.

Prosecutors contend that Varga created fake text messages, including for former football mogul Zdravko Mamić, and that last September Curić warned Varga that he was under investigation.

After the affair came to light, the media claimed that Varga's services were also used by former HDZ president Tomislav Karamarko and Brkić, both of whom denied the accusations.

In late November, the media published details from Varga's deposition in which he talked about his relationship with Mamić and cooperation with Karamarko, Brkić, former presidential advisor Vlado Galić, and former Agrokor owner Ivica Todorić.

Brkić, Karamarko and Todorić were questioned as part of the investigation. Todorić was questioned due to suspicions that Varga was linked to SMS correspondence among an informal group that drew up a law on emergency management in strategically important companies dubbed Lex Agrokor.

More news about HDZ can be found in the Politics section.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 10th of April, 2019, Chinese interest continues to grow as the Republic of Croatia and China opened a new, ambitious chapter of economic and trade relations on Wednesday, deepening their relationship even more after talks between the two prime ministers who both considered the talks to be a "fruitful turnaround".

Relations between Zagreb and Beijing initially reached a higher level after the Chinese company China Road and Bridge Corporation was chosen as the much anticipated Pelješac bridge builder.

The two countries readily signed six agreements, which cover the segments of rail, agriculture, digital technology and tourism. Four more will be signed on Thursday and Friday down in Dubrovnik at the 16 + 1 summit.

"We have signed a memorandum on a much more serious, transparent and easier cooperation between companies, on the transfer of capital from China to Croatia, as well as a two-way transfer, and the possibility of capital from Croatia being invested in China. This opens up the possibility of trust and a much stronger and more serious transfer, investing and manufacturing, and we've been able to talk about other large-scale structuring projects, especially given the fact that a Chinese company is building Pelješac bridge,'' said Croatian Economy Minister Darko Horvat for RTL.

He also noted that at this point in time, Croatia has a bilateral economic exchange with China which is somewhere close to the level of a billion euros, in a much larger deficit on the Croatian side.

Horvat also confirmed that Chinese companies are offering to be the ones to construct the Rijeka-Zagreb line.

"This project has to happen, the Chinese side has shown its interest. Whether that is going to come in the shape of a long-term concession agreement or in another model... Minister [Oleg] Butković is engaged in very intensive negotiations [on that matter] at the moment,'' stated Horvat.

In conversation with RTL, Horvat also revealed that they now have a clear signal that there is interest from the Chinese side to invest in Croatia's burdened shipyards, Uljanik and 3 Maj, in Pula and Rijeka.

"The real conversations are just starting, and I'm sure we will have some concrete figures tomorrow,'' he added briefly.

When asked whether or not Chinese could end up becoming the strategic partner needed to finally save Uljanik, the economy minister simply said that nobody was trying to hide the fact that the Chinese had been called upon.

Make sure to follow our dedicated business and politics pages for more information on the blossoming China-Croatia relations, why some remain suspicious, why the European Commission has raised its eyebrows at the fact that a Chinese company is building a bridge funded primarily with EU money, and much more.

ZAGREB, April 8, 2019 - The ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) submitted its slate for the European Parliament elections to the State Election Commission (DIP) on Monday morning, and on that occasion, the party leader and Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said that this slate was strong and provided guarantees for the protection of Croatian national interests.

"The HDZ has chosen a very strong and quality list of candidates that includes two current Croatian MEPs, three deputies in the national parliament, two very active and successful county prefects, of Šibenik and Slavonski Brod Counties, and another four candidates that are excellent in their careers and skilful in pursuing European policies," Plenković said after the slate was submitted.

Those who are elected will be very good in articulating and protecting Croatia's national interests, all of them know very well how the EU and the EP function, Plenković said.

"The slate is comprehensive," he said, dismissing speculations that it was made up on the party chief's orders. He recalled that the candidates had been nominated by county and local branches and that the slate was endorsed unanimously in a democratic process.

Plenković expressed his conviction that the HDZ will win the EP elections in Croatia, set for 26 May.

The HDZ slate for the EP elections is headed by Karlo Ressler, a 30-year-old party official who coordinated the preparation of the HDZ platform for the upcoming European elections and whom the HDZ Youth unanimously nominated for the list which was presented to the public on Friday evening.

The second place of the 12-candidate slate is occupied by a Croatian MEP, Dubravka Šuica, and she is followed by MP Tomislav Sokol, while one more HDZ MEP, Željana Zovko, ranks fourth, and she is followed by two members of the national parliament, Sunčana Glavak and Marijana Balić.

The slate also includes the heads of Šibenik-Knin and Brod-Posavina Counties - Goran Pauk and Danijel Marušić, respectively - Transport Ministry state secretary Nikolina Brnjac, Osijek-Baranja County Development Agency head Stjepan Ribić, Split-Dalmatia County Port Authority head Domagoj Maroević, and assistant HDZ secretary-general Stjepan Adanić.

More election news can be found in the Politics section.

The police in Zagreb have filed criminal charges against the 51-year-old HDZ official Ivica Modrić, suspected of severely injuring a 32-year-old pedestrian about ten days ago in the Vrbik district in Zagreb. He has been arrested and detained, reports Index.hr on April 6, 2019.

The investigation found that the 51-year-old suspect, while driving a car on March 28, entered into a verbal argument with a 32-year-old pedestrian, the Zagreb Police Administration said on Saturday.

The verbal argument turned into a physical, and the 51-year-old driver seriously hurt the 32-year-old pedestrian.

The suspected 51-year-old has been handed over to the detention supervisor, while criminal charges were filed with the relevant County State Attorney's Office, announced the Zagreb Police Administration.

The 51-year-old Ivica Modrić is a member of the HDZ branch in Osijek. Due to the incident, HDZ announced on Thursday that they had suspended him from all party duties until further notice. “HDZ regrets the incident. The party has zero tolerance for violence, which has been the position of Andrej Plenković’s government from the very start,” HDZ announced.

The Croatian Transmission System Operator (HOPS), where Modrić was a member of the board of directors, announced two days ago that he had been dismissed.

The attacked passer-by explained what happened in a statement given to Index.hr. “It happened around 4.30 pm on Thursday. I went to kindergarten in Vrbik to pick up my child. I started walking across the pedestrian crossing and made two steps. The car was ten metres away. I slowed down because I was crossing the pedestrian crossing, but he accelerated. I was already on the crossing, and he saw me. I stopped, and he passed 30 cm in front of me. It was so close that I had instinctively raised my arms. When he passed, I slapped my fingers on the trunk. There was no damage. I walked across the crossing, and he stopped the car and got out.

How dare you touch the car, he asked me. I told him he could have run me over and asked him what was wrong with him. I have had enough of you young people, he replied. I asked him what was going on. He answered me that I did not know what I had gotten myself into. He started towards me. I tried to catch his fist but was not able to. He hit me in my face. I fell to my back. Fortunately, I had a backpack, so I did not hit my head. When I got up, he turned and walked toward the car. I shouted, asking him whether he knew what he was doing. I got my cell phone out and told him I would call the police. You will call the cops on me, he replied. I will call a SWAT team on you. You do not know what you have gotten yourself into.

I photographed him and his car. He left, I called 112, and the police came in. Blood was bleeding from my nose. A man from the cafe gave me a tissue. The police questioned the worker at the parking lot. He saw everything. The waiter and a guest from the bar also saw when he hit me. The ambulance came. At the hospital, they determined I had four bone fractures. My eye was moved in its socket, and I needed surgery.

My wife went to the kindergarten to pick up our child. My two-year-old daughter saw me all bloody. In the evening, she saw her daddy crying. They moved me to the Dubrava hospital. A few days ago, I had surgery, and they inserted a titanium plate in the cheekbone. I still cannot open my eyes. I also do not feel anything from the eye to the middle of my face. It should get better in a couple of weeks or a few months. Doctors hope I will get out of the hospital soon.”

Translated from Index.hr.

More HDZ news can be found in the Politics section.