Spokesman for the government Marko Milic said that Defence Minister Mario Banozic, who was involved in a traffic accident this morning in which one person died, has suffered serious, but not life threatening physical injuries.

“The minister has sustained serious physical injuries, according to preliminary medical assessments, but they are not life threatening,” the spokesperson said.

He added that Banozic received medical assistance at the Vinkovci General County Hospital and will be transferred to the Osijek Hospital.

The general manager of the Vinkovci Hospital, Krunoslav Spocic, told the national broadcaster HRT that the minister sustained “primarily contusion injuries to the head and brain, but has not lost consciousness.”

He also said that the minister, due to head contusion injuries, was transferred to the Osijek Hospital’s intensive care unit “for further supervision and observation by a neurosurgeon.”

The driver of the van involved in the accident died in the crash, the Ministry of Defense reported.

The accident happened on the state road DC-55 at the exit from Vinkovci towards Zupanja on Saturday morning.

An investigation, led by the Deputy Vukovar County State Attorney, is underway.

Vinkovci police confirmed that there was an accident, but they will give more information only after the investigation.

The government expressed its condolences to the family of the driver who was killed in the crash.