The former head of the management board of the state-run HC road operator, Josip Skoric, and his cousin, Zoran Skoric, who is the director of the Osijek Koteks construction company, were on Saturday arrested on corruption charges, according to unofficial reports.

The Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organised Crime (USKOK) stated on Saturday that it had conducted several arrests, but it stopped short of revealing the identities of the arrestees.

It only stated that an investigation has been conducted in Zagreb, Osijek and Vukovar concerning white-collar crimes.

USKOK will later decide on custody of persons arrested in this operation.

Josip Skoric was at the helm of the HC management board from 2017 until this August when he tendered his resignation citing personal reasons.

He, however, continued performing the duty of an advisor in the HC company after that.

According to some media outlets, he is perceived as a close associate of Construction Minister Oleg Butkovic.

Local media outlets speculate that the arrest could be connected with possible bid rigging concerning the bridge lighting at Peljesac and works on the Osijek roundabout project.