The Croatian State Attorney's Office (DORH) has launched an investigation into the procurement of ECMO devices during the government of Zoran Milanovic.

At that time, Health Minister Rajko Ostojic purchased 35 devices through a Croatian distributor of the company Maquet, which was headed by the recently arrested Sasa Pozder.

Pozder was arrested as part of a scandal involving Health Minister Vili Beros on suspicion of overpriced neurosurgical robots and microscopes. Experts warned 10 years ago that Croatia did not need 35 ECMO devices, as the news website net.hr reports.

Investigations coincide with the election campaign

Rajko Ostojic replied that the procurement was carried out in accordance with the law.

The renewed investigation into the ten-year-old case coincides with the election campaign. President Zoran Milanovic recently stated that he also questioned the quantity of ECMO devices, but emphasised that the matter was handled by commissions and had nothing to do with him.

State Attorney-General Ivan Turudic refused to confirm or deny the investigation.

“DORH is conducting numerous investigations. We are not guided by possible political affiliations, nor are we bound by specific time frames, except in cases where the statute of limitations has expired,” Ivan Turudic told RTL television.