Justice Minister Vesna Skare-Ozbolt said USKOK would obtain said access via a court order. Responsible people in the bank who refused to act on the order would be fined with 20,000 kuna, or a one-month jail term if they refused access even after paying the fine.
The Government has said the amendments stem from Croatia's obligation to the U.N. Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime. This obligation could not be met until now because the Banks Act prevented bankers from disclosing confidential information.
Skare-Ozbolt said the amendments would also enable the functioning of several USKOK departments, for example on the prevention of corruption and on public relations, as well as the establishment of a department on international cooperation and joint investigations.
The amendments also provide more precise information on the transfer of organised crime cases to municipal courts, as well as on USKOK's relations with the police and the State Prosecutor's Office.
The minister said the amendments would bolster USKOK's role and make it the leading institution in the fight against organised crime and corruption.
(EUR1 = 7.5 kuna)