ZAGREB, May 10 (Hina) - Democratic Centre (DC) party leaders will meet on Wednesday to discuss the request for investigation by the Office for the Prevention of Corruption and Organised Crime (USKOK) and the arrest of the former
minister and DC honorary president Mate Granic, DC president and Justice Minister Vesna Skare Ozbolt announced on Monday.
ZAGREB, May 10 (Hina) - Democratic Centre (DC) party leaders will meet
on Wednesday to discuss the request for investigation by the Office
for the Prevention of Corruption and Organised Crime (USKOK) and the
arrest of the former minister and DC honorary president Mate Granic,
DC president and Justice Minister Vesna Skare Ozbolt announced on
Monday.#L#
"Since Mate Granic has been involved in politics for many years, it is
logical that this is also having an effect on politics," Skare Ozbolt
told reporters, adding that all politicians were affected by the
affair because "citizens elect politicians and expect them to fully
behave in accordance with the law".
Skare Ozbolt said that Granic had not contacted the party since its
emergency convention after the November 2003 parliamentary elections,
when she replaced Granic as DC president.
Asked if she as justice minister or the Prime Minister had any
knowledge of the USKOK operation, Skare Ozbolt said she had no
information about USKOK's plan to arrest Granic and Darinko Bago, the
chief executive officer of Koncar Electrical Industries Inc.
"I really doubt Prime Minister Ivo Sanader was informed of it. USKOK
does its job on its own and it would be bad if USKOK asked or informed
politicians or the government about things it is doing," Skare-Ozbolt
said at the Justice Ministry.
Asked if she had information to corroborate her statement that USKOK
would not have mounted such an operation unless it had hard evidence,
the justice minister said she would find it very strange if USKOK
launched the operation without evidence.
(Hina) vm