Croatian Health Minister and Several Officials Arrested on Corruption Charges

(CLO) Croatian Health Minister Vili Beros has just been arrested along with many health officials and hospital directors in connection with corruption allegations in an investigation by the European Union (EU).

Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic dismissed Mr Beros shortly after the incident. “This morning, former Minister Vili Beros and two other individuals were arrested in an operation by the anti-corruption agency,” Plenkovic said at a press conference on Friday.

Former Croatian Health Minister Vili Beros has been charged with corruption, allegations he denies. Photo: Olivier Hoslet/EPA

“I am extremely outraged that anyone in the health system would use their position to enrich themselves or to favour others in the industry,” Mr Plenkovic stressed.

The EU Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Zagreb has opened an investigation into eight people, including Mr Beros and the directors of the two hospitals. The EPPO accuses the suspects and the two companies of involvement in “bribery, abuse of power and money laundering”.

Mr Beros' lawyer, Laura Vakovic, said her client "completely denies any criminal responsibility".

According to prosecutors, the five suspects attempted to profit from the sale of medical robotics equipment to multiple hospitals in Croatia between June 2022 and November 2024. The suspects are accused of paying bribes to interfere in public tenders, but in at least one case, an EU-funded project in the city of Split, the bribery was denied.

In three other cases at hospitals in Zagreb, prosecutors allege that Mr. Beros accepted bribes to approve the purchase of surgical microscopes at inflated prices. The purchase price was “unreasonably” inflated by $654,000, causing damage to the Croatian state budget.

Croatia's anti-corruption and organised crime agency (USKOK) confirmed the arrests but did not publicly identify the suspects.

Mr Beros was appointed Health Minister in 2020 after his predecessor Milan Kujundzic was dismissed over an asset-declaration scandal. However, since Prime Minister Plenkovic's conservative Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party came to power in 2016, several government ministers have resigned over corruption allegations.

Croatia is regularly ranked as one of the most corrupt countries among the 27 European Union members, according to international anti-corruption organizations.

Cao Phong (according to Al Jazeera)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/bo-truong-y-te-croatia-va-nhieu-quan-chuc-bi-bat-vi-cao-buoc-tham-nhung-post321607.html