Croatian PM Plenkovic sacks health minister after corruption raid
SARAJEVO (Reuters) -Croatia’s Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic dismissed Health Minister Vili Beros after police raided his home on Friday morning investigating corruption, Hina state news agency reported.
Local media reported that Beros had been arrested.
Croatia’s Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organised Crime (USKOK) said it was conducting arrests of several people, including a senior government official, who were suspected of having committed corrupt acts based on its investigations.
USKOK did not name the officials but said the raids were conducted in the capital Zagreb and Adriatic town of Skadar.
“After questioning the suspects, USKOK will decide about further actions,” it said in a statement.
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office in Zagreb said in a separate statement it had initiated an investigation against eight individuals, including the Health Minister and the directors of two hospitals in Zagreb, and two companies on suspicion of accepting and giving bribes, abuse of position and authority and money laundering.
The government and the state attorney office are expected to hold a press conference later in the day.
(Reporting by Daria Sito-Sucic; Editing by Toby Chopra)
