The Commission for Conflict of interest fined Domovinski pokret (DP) MP Stephen Nikola Bartulica on Thursday for failing to declare his and his wife's companies in his asset declarations from 2015, 2020 and 2021.

The Commission found that Bartulica had failed to declare the company Servimus d.o.o., which belonged to his wife at the time, in his 2015 asset declaration. He also failed to declare Pio Consulting d.o.o., a company he owned at the time, in 2020 and 2021.

Bartulica was sentenced to a fine of €530, to be paid in a single instalment.

The Commission found that Bartulica violated Articles 8 and 9 in conjunction with Article 27 of the Act on Preventing the Conflict of Interest, which was in force until 25 December 2021.

Bartulica believes that the fine was imposed on him because he “has become a target and a nuisance for many”

Bartulica announced that he would appeal against the decision as he had added the missing information in time and the Commission’s decision came too late. He said he had asked the Commission for an opinion and was told that the law was not entirely clear and that they would request an amendment.

Bartulica said that Servimus d.o.o. was closed ten years ago, while Pio Consulting d.o.o. was still active, but no money passed through the account and he had failed to transfer it to his wife in time.

He pointed out that since he had been in politics, he had never been in a position to decide on public funds. “This is an administrative matter where inactive companies were not reported on time, they were not active, but I had to report later that I had transferred the other company to my wife.”

“I am aware that I have become a target and a nuisance to many, that’s just the way it is in politics. Any attempt to intimidate me in any way will not succeed. I will continue as I started,” said Bartulica.