In 2005, the CEO of the Split-based construction company filed a lawsuit against the local daily newspaper and lodged with the Split municipal court a fake document in which he falsely cited that Slobodna Dalmacija articles were the reason for his company having lost a big job in Libya.
The fake document, allegedly forwarded by the Libyan main transport council, read that Konstruktor's bid for constructing roads in that north African state was turned down due to a media report which implicated him in abuse of office and money laundering.
The Split municipal office of the Croatian Chief State Prosecutor has stated that the 55-year-old Zderic was aware that the bid had not been sent to Libya at all and that the document he had enclosed with the lawsuit had not originated from the body in charge.
According to the media in Croatia, in response to an enquiry from the Split Municipal Court, the Libyan embassy in Zagreb last year dismissed Zderic's claim that his company had taken part in the tender process and it also denied the existence of the document which Zderic used to prove his accusations against the daily.
Document forgery is punishable with prison terms ranging between six months and five years.