The Chief State Prosecutor's Office (DORH) said on Tuesday the county prosecutor's office in Pula began investigating in mid-2011 the case of a possibly illegal sale and repurposing of land allegedly involving former Tourism Minister Veljko Ostojic and his family, and that the anti-corruption office USKOK took over the investigation a month ago.
Since DORH's investigation showed that the case is complex, it was decided on February 18 that USKOK would take it over.
USKOK questioned the first witness on February 21 and on the 26th questioned the former owners of the land in question and other witnesses.
USKOK will inform the public after completing the investigation, DORH said in a press release.
Ostojic resigned on Sunday after the media reported that DORH was investigating the sale of an attractive piece of land in Bale, near the coastal resort of Rovinj, whose value rose from HRK 1 million to 25 million after urbanisation, and in whose purchase, urbanisation and sale his family was involved in early 2000s when he used to be an official in Istria County.
A few days before, Ostojic said his wife and sister-in-law founded a company 20 years ago and that his sister-in-law bought the land in question in 2004.
Apart from being in conflict of interest as a local official, the media reported that his sister-in-law paid for the land in cash, thereby defrauding the state budget.
