Murky dealings

Suker: Dismissed directors discredit others in bid to defend themselves

04.10.2010 u 13:11

Bionic
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In response to some accusations which a former manager in the Croatia Osiguranje insurance company levelled against him, Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ivan Suker has said that executives who have been dismissed from public companies are trying to blame others for their dismissal.

"It is clear to me that, concerning the situation in Croatia, dismissed directors in public companies are trying to discredit others in order to defend themselves," Suker said on Monday responding to reporters' questions about accusations Damir Mihanovic, a former member of the Croatia Osiguranje management, levelled against him.

Mihanovic, a witness in an investigation which the national anti-corruption investigative agency (USKOK), has launched into the Fimi Media scandal, has, according to media reports, reported to USKOK that Suker, who is the Croatia Osiguranje supervisory board chairman, exerted pressure on him in an attempt to prevent him from whistle-blowing about alleged irregularities in that insurance company.

Mihanovic said that on one occasion Suker had approached him in a threatening manner demanding that he stop reporting about murky dealings.

Leaving today's conference on budget management and fiscal policy, Minister Suker said that all who knew him well also knew that he never resorted to threats.

I am a law-abiding man who fully supports criminal investigations and investigations conducted by USKOK, Suker said.