NEW CHARGES PRESSED AGAINST BUSINESSMAN JOSIP GUCIC

SPLIT, Aug 3 (Hina) - The Split-Dalmatia County crime department on Thursday pressed charges with the County State Attorney's Office against eight persons suspected of causing damage worth 632 million kuna to and the bankruptcy of the Makarska-based companies 'Primorje', 'Amfora' and 'Mornar'. New charges were pressed against Josip Gucic (aged 50) from Zagreb, Goran Culic (aged 45) from Rijeka, Blago Begic (aged 47) from Makarska, Tomislav Vukadin (aged 52) from Solin, Ratko Sabic (aged 45) from Makarska, Goran Frankovic (aged 48) from Makarska, V.C. (aged 70) from Split, and Josip Buljan Bepo (aged 54) from Makarska. Begic, Vukadin and Skrabic were taken before the Split County Court investigating judge whereas Gucic and Culic are out of the reach of Croatian judicial bodies. The seven suspects, headed by Gucic, are charged with abusing their office in business operations, fraud, abuse of bankruptcy proceedings, and their office and powers, causing damage to companies 'Primorje' (283 million kuna), 'Amfora' (337 million kuna) and 'Mornar' (12 million kuna). Gucic was the president of the three companies' supervisory boards and is charged also as the person responsible for 'Annaville Investments' company from the British Virgin Islands and the company 'GB Elektro-Grosshandels' from Hohenbrunn. (hina) rml