Ex-Mayor of Pag Accused of Financial Misconduct

The news in Croatian

1. bivši
   koji je bio ranije, prethodni ↩︎
2. zloupotreba  (f.)
   neopravdano korištenje nečega za vlastitu korist ↩︎
3. malverzacija  (f.)
   nezakonito ili nepošteno poslovanje ↩︎
4. sumnja  (f.)
   nesigurnost u istinitost ili poštenje nečega ↩︎
5. narudžbenica  (f.)
   dokument kojim se nešto naručuje ↩︎
6. istraga  (f.)
   proces istraživanja činjenica o nekom slučaju ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: Who is being investigated for financial misconduct?

Question 2: Why is further investigation being conducted in Split?

Vocabulary

Croatian	English
bivši	former
zloupotreba  (f.)	abuse
malverzacija  (f.)	malpractice
sumnja  (f.)	suspicion
narudžbenica  (f.)	order form
istraga  (f.)	investigation

Read the full story

The Croatian anti-corruption agency USKOK has initiated an investigation against the former mayor of the town of Pag, Ante Fabijanić, alongside three other individuals and two companies. The investigation alleges a series of financial irregularities and misuse of authority, primarily involving fictitious work orders to channel funds for personal benefits.

The accusations stem from incidents occurring between 9th and 24th April 2025. In these events, the former mayor is suspected of collaborating with his driver and trusted associate to secure funds under false pretenses to pay off the driver’s outstanding tax debt. USKOK suggests that false work orders were issued to make payments from the town’s budget for non-existent services valued at €16,300.

This alleged misuse of municipal funds involved creating and approving fraudulent invoices, subsequently resulting in financial damage to the town. The funds were purportedly transferred through a series of transactions between different legal entities, eventually reaching the driver, who used the money to settle a personal tax liability.

In a related but separate case, a director of a municipality-owned company is accused of soliciting a bribe from a subcontracting company. This director allegedly demanded 10% of the value of certain construction works, totalling approximately €4.5 million, as a condition for awarding the contract. The subcontractor later paid €13,000 as part of this under-the-table agreement, according to the allegations.

USKOK has proposed investigative detention for three of the accused, citing potential risk factors and the severity of charges, which include abuse of power, trading in influence, and involvement in fraudulent activities. This development represents yet another chapter in Croatia’s ongoing battle against corruption within local government structures.

The proceedings are expected to proceed at the Split County Court, with further inquiries and judicial processes to follow. As this case unfolds, it continues to draw attention to governance standards and accountability in municipal operations across Croatia.

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