The Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organised Crime (USKOK) is investigating Croatian Forests due to identified irregularities and corruption, according to media reports on Sunday, noting that the complaint was submitted by the management of Croatian Forests.

RTL Danas reported on Sunday that USKOK has been “scrutinising” Croatian Forests for several months following an internal complaint about alleged “irregularities and corruption,” as disclosed by their source.

The complaint was lodged by the management of Croatian Forests, RTL Danas further reported.

Former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture Josip Dabro, who resigned after being caught firing a gun from a moving vehicle, claimed on Saturday in an interview with 24 Sata that he had warned Prime Minister Andrej Plenković about a “system collapse” within the Ministry and a “hotbed of crime” in Croatian Forests.

Dabro alleged that storms that devastated Slavonia over the past two years led to the loss or disappearance of raw materials worth €150 million in the forests. He also claimed his “boss” told him to stay silent and not disclose this publicly.

“I instructed him to address the issue with the management of Croatian Forests and to ensure that operations are conducted within the framework of the law and the purposefulness expected of responsible personnel,” Plenković said in response.

When asked if Dabro was referring to him as the “boss” who instructed him to stay silent, the Prime Minister said he did not know what Dabro meant. He added that, as the responsible minister, Dabro should have resolved any issues he identified together with the management of Croatian Forests.

Croatian Forests dismissed Dabro’s allegations of criminal activity within the state-owned company on Saturday, calling them baseless and false. They stated that the company operates in compliance with laws and regulations, with a focus on responsible forest resource management.

“Additionally, anyone with knowledge of irregularities or illegal activities can and should report them to the competent authorities,” Croatian Forests said in a statement.