The Zagreb County Court on Thursday froze the assets of former deputy prime minister Damir Polancec, suspected of abuse of office and embezzlement of at least HRK 75 million belonging to the Podravka food company.
Polancec's assets, worth several million kuna, were frozen at the proposal of the crime suppression agency USKOK. The assets include an apartment in Zagreb, a house in Koprivnica, several land plots near Djelekovec, and shares in the Podravka company worth over HRK 3 million.
Polancec's attorney Anto Nobilo said he had not yet received the court's decision, adding that Polancec's wife informed him of the assets freezing.
The lawyer said this was "a standard procedure".
Polancec's property has been frozen for the purpose of possible payment of damages.
Under the court's decision, Polancec is not allowed to sell or transfer to another person some 9,200 Podravka shares, his family home in Koprivnica, his apartment in Zagreb's Vrbik neighbourhood, and land plots in his hometown of Djelekovec.
The court has also blocked the property of the second suspect, lawyer Zoran Markovic, who is suspected of inciting abuse of office, while providing advisory services in Podravka.
Polancec was remanded in custody because of the risk of tampering with witnesses, while Markovic was released pending further proceedings.
