On Friday, the Bureau for Combating Corruption and Organized Crime (USKOK) arrested General Mladen Kruljac, the fourth highest ranking military official, on charges of land fraud, along with five other suspects. Kruljac allegedly bought and sold land illegally in Sibinj, as Reuters reports. President Ivo Josipovic officially removed Kruljac from office on Sunday because of the allegations against him.
According to the Croatian Times, the alleged land fraud cost the government €2.2 million. Kruljac has previously been accused by local media of racketeering and blackmail.
As commander of Croatia’s army ground troops for the past 4 years, Kruljac is the highest ranking military officer to be arrested since the country gained independence, according to the Associated Press.
The Croatian Justice Minister formerly filed paperwork on Monday with Austrian officials for the extradition of Former Prime Minister Ivo Sanader. According to the Associated Press, Sanader, who has been living in Salzburg since he left Croatia, is expected to be returned within the next two weeks. Sanader was Prime Minister for six years until his resignation two years ago. Croatian prosecutors have numerous anti-corruption investigations open on Sanader, one for the alleged misuse of funds while he was in office, as Reuters reports. Current Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor, who succeeded Ivo Sanader after he stepped down from office, is credited with targeting corruption and approving high-level anti-corruption probes.
Croatian authorities lifted Sanader’s previous immunity from prosecution and issued an international warrant for his arrest on December 9th. Austrian police arrested him a day later, while he was driving on the highway. Sanader has been in jail awaiting extradition since his arrest.
In May, Austrian courts approved the extradition, however Sanader decided not to appeal the decision in June, and maintains his innocence.
These arrests are part of Croatia’s anti-corruption reforms and its effort to meet European Union standards in order to secure membership in 2013.
