The European Prosecutor’s Office is investigating eight folks and two firms in Croatia for alleged instances of corruption, abuse of authority and cash laundering.
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković has fired Health Minister Vili Beroš after he was arrested on corruption costs as a part of a European Union investigation.
Eight folks – together with Beroš and the administrators of two hospitals within the capital Zagreb – and two firms are suspected of “accepting and giving bribes, abuse of place and authority and cash laundering”, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) stated in a press release ). on Friday.
Speaking at a press convention on Friday after the Croatian Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organized Crime (USKOK) introduced it was making a number of arrests, Plenković stated his authorities wouldn’t shield from prosecution anybody suspected of committing acts criminals.
“I’m horrified by the concept that somebody within the healthcare system would use their place for private acquire or favors for another person,” stated Plenković, who was re-elected in April as head of the conservative and pro-European HDZ (Croatian) social gathering. Democratic Union social gathering).
“The healthcare system is a very delicate division,” he stated.
Beroš’s lawyer, Laura Valković, stated he denied any wrongdoing. The Ministry of Health didn’t touch upon the investigation.
“Undue monetary positive aspects”
Croatia has lengthy been dogged by systemic and political corruption, and is commonly ranked by worldwide anti-corruption organizations as probably the most corrupt international locations within the EU.
According to the EPPO – the EU’s unbiased prosecutor – 5 of the suspects had labored collectively since June 2022 to safe “undue monetary positive aspects” for 2 firms by promising and donating cash to events.
In one case, their purpose was to make sure that a particular firm may promote robotic medical gadgets to a number of hospitals at inflated costs by manipulating the general public procurement course of to exclude some other market competitors.
The EPPO stated a legal group making an attempt to acquire funding for the sale of robotic medical gadgets in a number of hospitals was suspected of giving bribes to officers to attempt to win contracts for tasks, together with these funded by the EU.
“Other suspects supplied and delivered bribes to a number of stakeholders of the general public healthcare system, together with the Minister of Health and administrators of two hospitals, to acquire their assist for a number of contracts” financed by the EU or Croatia’s nationwide finances, he stated. the EPPO said. declaration.
In three instances, Beroš allegedly accepted the acquisition of microscopes in Zagreb hospitals at inflated costs of 620,000 euros in trade for a bribe, the EPPO stated.
Croatian State Prosecutor Ivan Turudić criticized European prosecutors for not informing his workplace nor USKOK of the investigation. Turudić stated that he’ll determine who’s answerable for the entire case.
The EPPO stated it suspected Beroš of receiving bribes, whereas Turudić stated Croatian investigators charged him with the lesser crime of “affect peddling”.
Two extra folks had been arrested and a authorized entity shall be investigated on suspicion of receiving a bribe, based on Turudić.
Additional sources • AP
