Search at Oroslavlje mayor's home: opposition criticises USKOK method and timing
After the Office for Combating Corruption and Organised Crime conducted searches through the home and official premises of Viktor Šimunić, opposition politicians have warned of problematic working methods and suspicious timing of the operation.
Search at Oroslavlje mayor's home: opposition criticises USKOK method and timing
Officials from the specialised anti-corruption body carried out an inspection of the private and business premises of the head of Oroslavlje municipality. Viktor Šimunić has become the subject of an investigation, and opposition representatives were quick to comment on the event, although they acknowledge that they are not familiar with the specific facts.
Nikola Grmoja, speaking for the Most party, stated that he has no confidence in the work of the State Attorney's Office. In his statement, he mentioned some of the previous scandals that have shaken the Croatian left, including the matter of the Istrian property linked to Ivan Kekin and the Hippodrome affair. Grmoja emphasised that it is impossible to fight corruption in ruling structures if one is not oneself untouchable. He added that he hopes the mayor is an innocent party, especially since he recently publicly spoke out against irregularities in sports associations.
Dalibor Paus, an IDS representative, also stressed that he does not have access to information about the matter. However, he criticised the established practice of early-morning arrests and searches in private homes, after which investigations stall for months or even years. Paus particularly pointed to the controversial background of the head of state prosecutors. He reminded of situations in which the same person sat in a vehicle with an individual against whom proceedings are being conducted late at night, as well as his correspondence with the accused. According to Paus, such context means that any operation led by that office will raise questions.
GLAS representative Anka Mrak Taritaš harshly condemned the visual experience of police operations at dawn, when personal devices are seized under the lights of floodlights, and then cases drag on for years through the courts. She believes that such imagery reflects deep problems in the functioning of Croatian justice.
Mrak Taritaš noted that there are previous criminal complaints against Šimunić, and it is up to judicial bodies to assess whether there was a basis for such a scope of action. She also emphasised that the mayor recently requested documentation from the Croatian Olympic Committee and publicly spoken about illegalities in sports organisations, which makes the timing of the search particularly questionable.
"It appears as though a message is being sent that everyone is equally compromised. The timing is extremely unusual. If there is solid evidence, proceedings should be brought to a conclusion, not left unfinished," the representative concluded.
Source: 24sata