ZAGREB, May 17 (Hina) - A Czech government aid programme for the reconstruction of Croatia, Serbia-Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina, including a 700,000 euro project for the construction of a fish processing factory in Komiza on the
southern Croatian Adriatic island of Vis, is the subject of an investigation launched by the Office of the County Prosecutor in Split for possible fraud.
ZAGREB, May 17 (Hina) - A Czech government aid programme for the
reconstruction of Croatia, Serbia-Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina,
including a 700,000 euro project for the construction of a fish
processing factory in Komiza on the southern Croatian Adriatic island
of Vis, is the subject of an investigation launched by the Office of
the County Prosecutor in Split for possible fraud.#L#
The Split County Prosecutor has requested the Department for
White-Collar Crime to initiate an investigation after receiving a
criminal report against unidentified persons, filed on March 1 by the
Mayor of Komiza, Vicko Mardesic, the Office of the State Prosecutor
told Hina on Monday.
The criminal report followed failure by Anton Mardesic, a Czech
citizen originally from Komiza and owner of fish processing factories
in the Czech Republic and some other countries, to honour an agreement
signed with the Town of Komiza on September 21, 2000. Anton Mardesic
acted as a coordinator of the Czech investment project in Komiza.
Based on the results of the preliminary investigation and the
allegations contained in the criminal report, the Public Prosector has
decided that there are grounds for suspicion that the crime of misuse
of office has been committed and has launched a comprehensive
investigation which is still in progress.
After learning that the Croatian judiciary is looking into the
possibility of fraud in the use of its funds for the post-war
reconstruction of the Balkan countries, the Czech government has also
launched an investigation into the five-year programme worth US74
million, which was completed two years ago.
(Hina) vm