Interior Minister Ranko Ostojic confirmed on Thursday that he lived in a rented apartment owned by media magnate and owner of the Europapress Holding Ninoslav Pavic but that there was nothing contentious about this and that he had sent applications to the State Property Management Agency (AUDIO) that his residential status be adequately resolved.
Ostojic spoke to journalists at a press conference in the Cabinet office in response to an article released by the Vecernji list daily concerning the chronology of Minister Ostojic's residential status.
Mr. Ostojic explained that he had submitted a request to AUDIO for an appropriate apartment in Zagreb so that his family could join him.
The article in the paper notes that the apartment has been rented out to the Croatian Parliament since February 2008 (now regulated by AUDIO) and that this was a temporary solution and AUDIO is looking for an appropriate apartment for Mr. Ostojic's family.
The article further says that Ostojic did not have a direct rental contract with the media magnate but that this was regulated by AUDIO.
Ostojic lived in the flat even before he was an MP and later minister. He lived in the flat when he was employed in Europapress Holding as were other employees of this media company.
Ostojic explained that he had remained in the apartment because it was "truly good".
Asked whether he considered it strange that he lived in a flat owned by someone who was currently being investigated he responded that as minister "he knew nothing about investigations".
He added that it was not coincidental that information like this was being released now considering the phone records scandal.
Journalists were interested if any measures would be taken concerning the recent scandal and he explained that relevant bodies would investigate how information leaks occurred.
He believes that there was no threat to national security, a document was infiltrated. He confirmed the document in question related to dismissal of the head of the Office of the Council for National Security, Petar Misevic.
Ostojic claimed that it was not up to the minister to conduct investigations but that the relevant bodies would investigate to see how information leaks occurred and how HDZ president Tomislav Karamarko had insight into a document intended exclusively for the president and premier.
If it's true that Interior Minister Ranko Ostojic lives in a flat owned by Ninoslav Pavic, then there is nothing else he can do than resign, a member of the Croatian Democratic Union presidency, Gordan Jandrokovic said later at a press conference in the Parliament building.
"This is a flagrant example of conflict of interest and now Jutarnji's attitudes and other EPH press are obvious", Jandrokovic said. He added that it is no wonder how some information makes its way to the media, "particularly to EPH editions".
Dinko Buric of the Croatian Democratic Party of Slavonia and Baranja (HDSSB) commented that not one political official, and in particular a minister, should have any connections to media magnates and especially if they owe the state in taxes.
"This could well raise suspicions how leaks occur to some privileged newspapers", said Buric.
Asked to comment on the fact that Ostojic lives in Pavic's flat was disclosed just days after the phone records scandal broke out, Buric said that this was "obviously a showdown between parties".
