The Office for Suppression of Corruption and Organised Crime (USKOK) confirmed media reports that it together with the relevant police services (PNUSKOK) is conducting an investigation into the case of former Public Administration Minister Lovro Kuscevic who resigned on 8 July over reported involvement in murky real estate deals.

USKOK will decide on further steps in this case after the collection of all necessary evidence and the public will be informed in a timely fashion, the Office said on Tuesday afternoon after web portals reported that Kuscevic’s house on the island of Brac had been searched by the police on Tuesday morning.

Some of the web portals claim that Kuscevic is suspected of wrongdoing in real estate transactions and of abuse of office and that some more suspects were involved in the affairs.

On 8 July, Kuscevic resigned from the ministerial post and the post of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) political secretary. Upon his resignation, Kuscevic said that he was “a responsible politician”.

“I’ve been in politics a long time,” Kuscevic said, adding that “it’s clear to me that this negative perception in the media, the basis of all the unfounded attacks on me, represents a big burden on both the party and the government.”

Kuscevic is currently a member of the national parliament and a councilor in the Split-Dalmatia County Assembly.