On Friday, the Croatian police detained Minister of Health Vili Beroš on suspicion of corruption. Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovič immediately dismissed him from his position. TASR informs about it according to Reuters, AFP, HINA and Jutarnij List.
The Office for the Prevention of Corruption and Organized Crime (USKOK) confirmed on Friday morning that as part of the ongoing investigation into corruption crimes arrested several persons in the capital Zagreb and in the village of Skradin near the town of Šibenik.
According to Croatian media reports, police searched the home of Health Minister Beroš and several high-ranking doctors on Friday morning. In the houses, the police searched for evidence of the purchase of microscopes for neurosurgery, which were allegedly procured for an overpriced amount. Among those arrested is the head of the neurosurgery clinic at the Hospital of the Sisters of Mercy in Zagreb, Krešimir Rotim.
Jutarnij List writes that the investigation against Beroš is conducted by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. According to the newspaper, another of the suspects is the director of the children’s hospital in Zagreb, Goran Roič. USKOK stated that it will decide on the next course of action after hearing the suspects.
The department will be temporarily led by the current Deputy Minister Irena Hrstičová. The prime minister called a meeting of the coalition council and will speak at a press conference at 11:00 a.m. AFP reminds that several ministers in Plenkovic’s government, which has been in power since 2016, had to resign due to accusations of corruption.
