"I launched investigations against all who as war profiteers took advantage at a time when this people was bleeding and defending every inch of this country. As you can see, some became billionaires on funds of people who saved on food and took loans to help Croatia and its defence, but many resisted the temptation," Mesic said commenting on the claim from the press that he had launched investigations against war profiteers.
He was speaking to the press at the 400th anniversary of the National University Library. Asked if relevant bodies were finally doing their job after he raised the war profiteering issue, Mesic said it remained to be seen how many more investigations would be launched. "The beginning, however, is promising," he said.
Zagorec was the 1993-2000 assistant defence minister in charge of purchasing arms and equipment. An investigation was launched and detention was requested for him yesterday on suspicion that he abused office by appropriating an undetermined quantity of jewellery given to him in 1993 by a German arms dealer as collateral for USD5 million taken from the Croatian Defence Ministry. The money was intended for the purchase of the S-300 missile system. Zagorec is at large.
Commenting on the claim from the press that businessman Hrvoje Petrac had launched the jewels story involving Zagorec and responding to the question whether Zagorec might launch a story against someone else, Mesic said he felt that many more stories would be launched.