Former Croatian Minister for Regional Development and Eurofunds Gabrijel Žalacová was sent on Thursday by a two -year court in prison for abuse of powers and collection of money for using your political influence. This was announced on its website by the Croatian branch of the European Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), which was the plaintiff as well as the Croatian media, TASR reports.
In connection with the case, in addition to the ex -minister of the same crimes, the former head of the Croatian Central Agency for Financing and Contractual Relations (SAFU) and two entrepreneurs were.
Žalacová was the Minister from October 2016 to July 2019. In 2017 she launched a public procurement for the information system, while She took steps to ensure a convenient position for a particular entrepreneur and his company. Subsequently, she overestimated the estimated value of the contract and decided to enroll it without publishing the call. The participation was invited by the companies of the entrepreneur, which eventually received the contract, at an excessively high price of 1.73 million euros.
The EPPO investigation has shown that the former Minister, along with the owners of the companies in question, continued In steps aimed at getting a contract to their companies, even though the whole procedure has already been abolished for breach of the Public Procurement Act. However, the contract was still concluded and entrepreneurs received a high amount of money, which they subsequently had to be transferred to the accounts or withdraw it in cash.
The estimated damage to the EU budget is at least a million euros, with a damage to The state budget of Croatia amounts to almost EUR 300,000. The exminister has previously concluded an agreement on guilt and punishment as he She granted and paid EUR 200,000 as a partial compensation for the damage. Meanwhile, the criminal proceedings are continued against the other three accused – the Safa ex -ex -ex -exhibition and the two owners of the accused companies as well as their two companies.
