The Conflict of Interest Commission decided on Monday that former Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister, Martina Dalic, and the Finance Minister, Zdravko Maric, had violated the principle of holding public office in the case of the indebted Agrokor food and retail conglomerate. The violation does not carry any penalties.

The Commission found that Dalic had violated the Conflict of Interest Prevention Act because, despite great public interest, she did not disclose the names of members of the informal working group assembled by the government to deal with the Agrokor crisis. In that way she failed to act transparently, Commission chair Natasa Novakovic said.

Dalic recommended Ante Ramljak as crisis manager for Agrokor although she was aware he was a member of the informal group assembled to draft a bill on Agrokor, which was deemed a failure on her part to act credibly and responsibly, the Commission said.

Maric was found to have violated the Conflict of Interest Prevention Act because at a meeting at which it was decided who the crisis manager for Agrokor would be, he failed to protect his own credibility and impartiality in holding public office, given that he had previously worked at Agrokor.

The Commission had renewed proceedings against Dalic and Maric after Dalic’s deposition to the USKOK anti-corruption office had leaked to the public, showing that Maric attended more meetings regarding Agrokor than he had admitted.

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