ZAGREB, May 7 (Hina) - Former foreign minister Mate Granic and Koncar CEO Darinko Bago, suspected by the Office for the Prevention of Corruption and Organised Crime (USKOK) of bribery, will be in custody for 48 hours, Zagreb County
Court investigating judge Jadranka Mandusic decided on Friday evening after the two stated their defence.
ZAGREB, May 7 (Hina) - Former foreign minister Mate Granic and Koncar
CEO Darinko Bago, suspected by the Office for the Prevention of
Corruption and Organised Crime (USKOK) of bribery, will be in custody
for 48 hours, Zagreb County Court investigating judge Jadranka
Mandusic decided on Friday evening after the two stated their
defence.#L#
"Our clients stated their defence in detail, refuting all the
accusations. They feel these are staged proceedings," Bago's attorney
Ante Madunic and Granic's attorney Kresimir Vilajtovic told
reporters.
Asked who was behind the staged proceedings, Vilajtovic declined to
answer, while Madunic resolutely named Velimir Delonga, former
director of the Koncar trgovine i zastupstva company.
Madunic said Delonga had reported Granic and Bago to USKOK out of
revenge.
He added Granic and Bago were likely to be interviewed by the
investigating judge again on Monday.
Granic, a former presidential candidate and leader of the Democratic
Centre party, had told reporters in front of the Zagreb County Court
he was innocent and "a victim of a crude imputation and provocation".
"The attempt to discredit me as a man and politician is evident." Bago
refused to speak to the media.
It is speculated that Granic mediated in a bribe demanded by Bago. The
amount reporters in front of the Zagreb County Court mentioned earlier
tonight ranged from 60,000 to 133,300 euros.
(Hina)