OPPOSITION MP CHARGED WITH DAMAGING STATE FOR EUR720,000

ZAGREB, Feb 19 (Hina) - The Zagreb state prosecution on Wednesday accused MP Ljubo Cesic Rojs of damaging the state for more than 5.5 million kuna (approx. 720,000 euros) through three criminal acts committed while he was assistant defence minister. #L# Along with Rojs, the prosecution has raised an indictment against Stjepan Spajic who is charged with instigating Rojs to commit the criminal acts in his capacity as the director of the Zagreb-based Hrvatski dragovoljac soccer team. Rojs is charged with ordering without authorisation the issuing of cigarettes, coffee and other consumption goods to the 66th road regiment, which was not a component of the Croatian Armed Forces or the Croatian Defence Ministry (MORH), when he held the offices of assistant defence minister and head of the ministry's economic management sector. The prosecution claims that during preparations for a visit by the pope to Split in 1998, Rojs provided the regiment with goods in the value of 2.3 million kuna HRK (302,000 euros), without approval. He is also accused of approving for several soccer clubs the use of catering in Zagreb hotels and restaurants owned by the MORH and charging the bills to the ministry. He allegedly spent around 200,000 kuna (26,000 euros) for this purpose. Under the last count of the indictment, he is charged with writing off three million kuna (EUR39,000) worth of debts Hrvatski dragovoljac owed the MORH. The indictment filed with the Zagreb County Court charges Rojs with committing a crime while holding an official position by abusing office and power, as well as with two crimes against the security of payment operations and abuse of power in business relations. In order for the proceedings against Rojs to be possible, the Croatian Sabor stripped him of immunity on May 17. (hina) sp/ha sb