ZAGREB, Aug 21 (Hina) - Arms dealer Zvonko Zubak has pressed charges with the Zagreb Municipal Court against former defence minister Jozo Rados over his claims in the media to the effect that by selling a S-300 rocket system to the
defence ministry Zubak "had tried to swindle the Croatian state and public".
ZAGREB, Aug 21 (Hina) - Arms dealer Zvonko Zubak has pressed charges
with the Zagreb Municipal Court against former defence minister
Jozo Rados over his claims in the media to the effect that by selling
a S-300 rocket system to the defence ministry Zubak "had tried to
swindle the Croatian state and public". #L#
The lawsuit quotes claims made by Rados in some newspapers on
Tuesday, alleging that Zubak belongs to the underground and that he
tried to swindle him and the state, and is now trying to con the
public.
Less than two weeks ago, the media quoted Zubak as saying that a
former Rados aide, Mladen Ruzman, had asked US$2.5 million in
bribes from Zubak in exchange for a defence ministry purchase
contract for the US$200 million S-300 rocket system.
Zubak claimed he had arranged the purchase of the system with former
defence minister Gojko Susak, but that the state had never paid him
for it. As a result, he sued Croatia.
A few days ago Zubak told the media that Ruzman was perhaps a "victim
of Jozo Rados" who had asked for the bribe on Rados's behalf.
Rados countered by saying that the bribe allegations were false,
and that "Zubak is using the media to attack people who prevented
him from collecting the money which he has yet to prove he is
entitled to."
According to Rados, at the start of a probe into the case there was
no evidence showing that Zubak had not been paid for the rocket
system. Rados said Zubak should produce all bills in his possession
so that it could be established if he had received the money or not.
Chief prosecutor Mladen Bajic has said the USKOK (Office for the
Prevention of Corruption and Organised Crime), the civil and
military police are looking into the media allegations.
(hina) ha sb