The head of the Police Office for Suppression of Corruption and Organized Crime has been dismissed.
The new government is continuing with dismissals of high-ranking officials, and the latest one is Mario Bertina, head of the National Police Office for Suppression of Corruption and Organized Crime (PNUSKOK), report Večernji List and Jutarnji List on March 15, 2016.
The latest affair in connection with which Bertina has been mentioned was the alleged surveillance of MOST president Božo Petrov during the coalition negotiations after the November’s parliamentary elections. In September of last year, it was also revealed that former Finance Minister Slavko Linić was also investigated by PNUSKOK, despite the fact that the Parliamentary Committee on National Security last summer reached a conclusion by a majority vote that Linić was not put under surveillance.
Croatian Interior Minister Vlaho Orepić commented to reporters in Parliament on his decision to dismiss Bertina. “In the context of the announced rapid restructuring of the overall organization of the Ministry of the Interior, my goal was to free the post of any unnecessary burden. That was the only reason why I made the decision. There was no outside pressure. I have already announced rapid steps towards reorganization of the entire police system. There will be more decisions like this. I want to adapt the system and the people to what we are aiming for. There was definitely no pressure”, said Orepić.
According to unofficial sources, the additional dismissals will happen very soon, perhaps as early as the end of this or early next week. Who will be the next person on the Interior Minister’s list for dismissals has not been revealed, but it is certain that Police Directorate will get a new director of the police, and that there will be changes in key positions such as chiefs of the criminal police and the regular police. Changes are possible at the leadership of the Special Security Office and other police departments as well. In parallel with dismissals, Minister Orepić is preparing a new organization of his Ministry that should be known by the Easter holidays.
