ZAGREB, May 22, 2020 - The Conflict of Interest Commission on Friday decided to launch proceedings against Member of Parliament Milorad Pupovac because he had received two allowances for performing two different public duties.

During a regular inspection the commission determined that Pupovac, a Member of Parliament on behalf of the Serb ethnic minority, was also a member of the Council of the Serb National Minority in the City of Zagreb.

Holding these two positions is not contentious, however, Pupovac violated the law on the prevention of conflict on interest because he also received an allowance for the second position, which he should not have done.

The commission also determined that the president of the management board of the national electricity provider - HEP, Frane Barbaric, at the same time also conducted the duty of a councillor in the Novi Zagreb district and received an allowance for that position.

Proceedings will be launched against Barbaric because he continued to receive a salary and allowance for both positions even after he was advised by the commission that he was in violation of the law.

The commission ruled that it would not launch proceedings against Education Minister Blazenka Divjak, Regional Development Minister Marko Pavic and Chief State Inspector Andrija Mikulic.