SDP MP Grgic, Suspect in JANAF Corruption Case, Resigns as Mayor
ZAGREB, October 23, 2020 - Social Democratic Party MP Vinko Grgic, who is in custody for involvement in the JANAF corruption case, resigned as Nova Gradiska mayor and is no longer in that office as of today, his deputy Borislav Vidosic said on Friday, Nova Gradiska radio reported.
Grgic has been in custody since September 18 due to his involvement in a case in which the chairman of the board of oil pipeline operator JANAF, Dragan Kovacevic, is under investigation for taking a HRK 1.96 million bribe in exchange for contracts in which JANAF is investing.
Vidosic will serve as mayor until local elections next May.
Mayor Grgic Denies Any Wrongdoing in Public Tender Rigging Scandal
ZAGREB, Sept 19, 2020 - Nova Gradiska Mayor and SDP lawmaker Vinko Grgic, who was questioned by the USKOK office on Saturday concerning an investigation in influence paddling and public tender rigging, denied any wrongdoing and said that he was ready to resign for moral reasons, Grgic's lawyer said.
"My client has presented an extensive defence, and denied his responsibility and any involvement in corrupt deals," the lawyer Zoran Mataic said after the Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organised Crime (USKOK) had interrogated Grgic in Zagreb.
On Thursday evening USKOK launched an investigation into the CEO of oil pipeline operator Janaf, Dragan Kovacevic, and another twelve people on suspicion of influence peddling, bribery, illicit preferential treatment, and aiding and abetting in these crimes.
The main suspect, the Elektrocentar company's founder Kreso Petek, allegedly gave Kovacevic HRK 1.96 million in reward for business deals awarded to his company by Janaf since September 2019. He is also suspected of giving HRK 100,000 to the Nova Gradiska mayor, in reward for helping award a deal in a public tender to a consortium that included Petek's company.
Mataic said that Grgic knew Petek, however, he had denied any claims that the Elektrocentar director had proposed any kickbacks or that he had accepted any proposal of such nature.
The lawyer said that Grgic was willing to step down from his mayoral office for moral reasons as well as if the possibility of repeating the criminal offences he is charged with could be cited as the reason for placing him in custody.
As for media reports about the leak of information from the preliminary investigation into this case of the suspected influence-peddling, public tender rigging, and illicit kickbacks which implicates 13 suspects, Grgic's lawyer said that they knew nothing about the information leak.
On Saturday, an investigating judge is expected to make a decision on the pretrial detention of Grgic and the mayor of Velika Gorica, Drazen Barisic of the HDZ party.
On Friday evening Zagreb County Court's investigating judge imposed 30-day pre-trial detention on 10 suspects in this case.
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10 Suspects in Public Tender Rigging Probe Remanded in 30-day Custody
ZAGREB, Sept 19, 2020 - An investigating judge of Zagreb County Court on Friday evening imposed 30-day pre-trial detention on 10 suspects in the influence-peddling probe which also implicates the Janaf oil pipeline operator's CEO, Dragan Kovacevic, the Elektrocentar company's founder Kreso Petek and two mayors.
There are 13 suspects covered by the investigation so far.
The decision on remanding in the mayors, Drazen Barisic of Velika Gorica, and Vinko Grgic of Nova Gradiska are expected to be made on Saturday.
The 10 suspects have been taken into investigative custody for fear of tampering with witnesses.
The Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organised Crime (USKOK) on Thursday evening launched an investigation into the CEO of oil pipeline operator Janaf and another twelve people on suspicion of influence peddling, bribery, illicit preferential treatment, and aiding and abetting in these crimes.
The main suspect Petek allegedly gave Kovacevic HRK 1.96 million in reward for business deals awarded to his company by JANAF since September 2019.
He is also suspected of giving HRK 100,000 to the mayor of Nova Gradiska, in reward for helping award a deal in a public tender to a consortium that included Petek's company.
The mayor of Velika Gorica allegedly ensured the award of an HRK 97.3 million public procurement deal to Petek's company. Using his mayoral position, he asked the chairman of the board of the local water management company to modify public tender documentation to suit the demands of Petek and his consultant.
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