ZAGREB, Jan 31 (Hina) - The Croatian State Prosecution Office on Wednesday said claims by the "Republika" daily and "Nacional" weekly that the Prosecution Office purposefully did not prosecute the perpetrators of alleged crimes during
the purchase of the "Vecernji list" daily, thus protecting them, were untrue and tendentious. In its issue of January 28 the Republika daily ran an article headlined "New Shame for Croatia in Vecernji List Affair", stating "the shameful decision by the State Prosecution that there was no money laundering in the purchase of Vecernji list has brought the Croatian judiciary to the very bottom of the moral pit". The paper also claimed this made legal one of the biggest scams of modern Croatia, swept under the carpet by acting state prosecutor Slavko Zadnik and chairman of the Parliament's commission of enquiry on the issue, Josko Kontic. In its newest issue the Nacional weekly ran an article enti
ZAGREB, Jan 31 (Hina) - The Croatian State Prosecution Office on
Wednesday said claims by the "Republika" daily and "Nacional"
weekly that the Prosecution Office purposefully did not prosecute
the perpetrators of alleged crimes during the purchase of the
"Vecernji list" daily, thus protecting them, were untrue and
tendentious.
In its issue of January 28 the Republika daily ran an article
headlined "New Shame for Croatia in Vecernji List Affair", stating
"the shameful decision by the State Prosecution that there was no
money laundering in the purchase of Vecernji list has brought the
Croatian judiciary to the very bottom of the moral pit".
The paper also claimed this made legal one of the biggest scams of
modern Croatia, swept under the carpet by acting state prosecutor
Slavko Zadnik and chairman of the Parliament's commission of
enquiry on the issue, Josko Kontic.
In its newest issue the Nacional weekly ran an article entitled
"Futile Government and Corrupted Prosecution" in which it said the
State Prosecution "perfidiously decided Ivic Pasalic and his
alternative clique deserves amnesty in the example of the
privatisation of Vecernji list".
The State Prosecution said the Parliament had last July submitted
conclusions by the commission of enquiry on possible proceedings of
establishing individual liability and legal validity of the
contract on transferring of Vecernji list's shares. The
conclusions were also submitted to the State Attorney's Office,
Internal Affairs Ministry and the State Audit Office.
After fact-finding and control of the legality of monetary
transactions in the purchase and sale of the daily, competent
bodies did not level charges. The State Prosecution thus informed
the Parliament on January 25 that results of the inquest do not
provide foundations for doubt that funds used to purchase the daily
came from illegal sources nor money laundering or other criminal
acts, the Prosecution panel said in a statement.
The State Prosecution's report gave rise to surprise in the public
which expected proceedings against senior officials of the former
authorities who were involved in transactions with the popular
daily.
Senior officials of the formerly ruling Croatian Democratic Union
are satisfied with the Prosecution's report and announced they will
request those who "falsely" accused representatives of the former
authorities to answer.
(hina) lml sb