Josip Škorić charged a second time with bribery – remains employed at Croatian Roads
USKOK has brought a second indictment against the former head of the Croatian Roads Authority for bribery worth approximately €130,000. Škorić remains employed as an adviser despite arrest and the first indictment.
Second bribery indictment, salary continues
A second indictment has been brought against Josip Škorić, former head of the Croatian Roads Authority, for abuse of position and authority and acceptance of bribes, according to Večernji list. USKOK accuses him of receiving bribes worth approximately €130,000 in the form of gifts and various services.
Despite arrest and the first indictment, Škorić remained employed at Croatian Roads throughout this period – currently as an adviser to the Authority, on a salary of approximately €3,500 net, according to information reported by 24sata.
Medical leave instead of transfer
Croatian Roads allegedly attempted to remove Škorić from the position, but he resisted. Before summer, he was offered a transfer to a lower-ranking engineering position, but he did not sign the contract – instead he went on medical leave. The same proposal has now been offered to him again, and it is currently unclear whether he will accept it this time. His remaining in the adviser position, according to a 24sata source, is enabled by rights defined in his current contract. He even used annual leave while in investigative detention, which was approved and paid.
Cousin and contracts worth ten million euros
Alongside Josip Škorić, USKOK has charged his cousin Zoran Škorić, head of the Osijek-based company Osijek-Koteks, and Sanda Bajtl, former director of the company Structivo – with whom Josip Škorić was, according to the prosecution's claims, personally connected.
According to the indictment, it was agreed that Zoran Škorić and Bajtl would give material rewards to Josip Škorić in return for awarding contracts that Croatian Roads would conclude with Osijek-Koteks.
"It was agreed that Zoran Škorić and Bajtl would give Josip Škorić material rewards in the manner he specified in return for awarding work execution contracts that Croatian Roads would conclude with the commercial company from Osijek, and on which projects the company would engage the company where Bajtl is director as a subcontractor," USKOK states in its announcement.
USKOK claims that Škorić ensured that procedures in which Osijek-Koteks was to obtain contracts were conducted at an accelerated pace. These involve at least two contracts with a total value of approximately 10 million euros. Part of these contracts was transferred by Osijek-Koteks to the company Structivo, and USKOK emphasises that the company did not have either the necessary employees or references to execute them.
Tenders rigged, bids above estimates
Both of Osijek-Koteks' bids allegedly significantly exceeded the estimated value of the procurement, and according to USKOK's claims, the tenders were rigged. In return, Bajtl financed work on Škorić's family house valued at more than €52,000, as well as a celebration at a restaurant. Josip Škorić, in turn, bought his cousin Zoran a luxury car worth approximately €70,000.
Škorić submitted his resignation from the position of head of the Croatian Roads Authority about ten days before his arrest, but remained employed at the company as an adviser. At the same time, Bajtl left her position as director of Structivo.
Source: Večernji list