Croatia: USKOK says there's no evidence of political trade-offs

The anti-corruption agency USKOK said on Tuesday that an investigation had not turned up any evidence of possible unlawful influence on some members of Parliament to have them support any of the political camps elected to the national parliament in the November 8 parliamentary election.

USKOK had instructed the police to investigate possible threats and alleged trading in parliamentary seats of which some MPs publicly complained. Investigating reports of threats, pressure and political trade-offs in attempts to form a parliamentary majority and a new government, police investigators interviewed Independent Democratic Serb Party (SDSS) MPs Vojislav Stanimirovic, Milorad Pupovac and Mile Horvat, and Bridge members Nikola Grmoja and Ivan Kovacic.

After the investigation, during which potential victims and witnesses were questioned, USKOK said that there were no grounds for suspicion that an offence had been committed that would require ex-officio prosecution.

Former SDSS member Mirko Raskovic was among those who had complained of pressure and threats, seeking protection from President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic and claiming that members of his party had threatened him. Pupovac responded to those claims by saying that the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) had exerted pressure on Raskovic to have him withdraw his support for Social Democratic Party leader Zoran Milanovic as Prime Minister-designate.

About Croatia
22 December 2015