ZAGREB, Sept 17, 2020 – The attorney of JANAF oil pipeline director Dragan Kovacevic, Ivo Farcic, confirmed on Thursday that his client was arrested on suspicion of influence peddling.
“I can’t say how many deals we are talking about,” he told the press outside JANAF, where a search of the premises was completed in the early afternoon, adding that the state prosecutor would probably issue a press release soon.
Farcic said many other premises were expected to be searched, most likely today, and that his client must be present at all searches. He added that Kovacevic did not comment on the suspicions and that at this stage of the proceedings he was not obliged to do so.
Farcic said Kovacevic was likely to be interviewed at the USKOK anti-corruption office on Friday.
The media have reported that he is suspected of taking an HRK 1.9 million bribes from the head of a company which landed an HRK 40 million deal from JANAF.
Searches are underway in several citizens and ten persons have apparently been arrested, while another two are expected to be if stripped of parliamentary immunity from prosecution, on which the parliamentary Credentials and Privileges Commission is deciding at 5 p.m.
The two are Velika Gorica Mayor Drazen Barisic of the ruling HDZ and Nova Gradiska Mayor Vinko Grgic of the opposition SDP. Both are MPs and told the press today they had nothing to do with corruption.
USKOK and the police are expected to issue press releases on today’s arrests later today.
(€1 = HRK 7.5)
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