Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković sacked Health Minister Vili Beroš after police arrested him Friday during an anti-corruption raid.
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office in Zagreb said in a press release that it has initiated an investigation into eight people, including Beroš, on suspicion of “accepting and giving bribes, abuse of position and authority and money laundering.”
Plenković said at a press conference that his government would not protect anyone from investigation if there’s suspicion of criminal offence.
“Minister Beroš has gained mine and the citizens’ trust to take care of the health system and to manage resources in a legal way in order to provide the best services to all patients. Certainly, neither he nor anyone else received a mandate for abuse of the system and for committing criminal offenses,” said Plenković at the press conference.
According to the EPPO press release, the suspects’ goal in one case was to make sure that a specific company could sell medical robotic devices to several hospitals in Croatia for inflated prices by bribing relevant stakeholders in the public health care system.
Beroš’s lawyer Laura Valković told Croatian media she “cannot comment on the ongoing investigations.”
“Beroš completely denies any criminal responsibility,” Valković added, according to local media.
State Secretary at the Ministry of Health Irena Hrstić will replace Beroš until the appointment of a new minister.
