Split Mayor Ivica Puljak said on Monday the State Inspectorate fined him €13,272 for a contract for the renovation of the water supply and sewer system at the Vila Dalmacija villa which was not signed by him, but instead by the HDZ party, and that he would notify European institutions.

This is the first time in Croatia’s history that a mayor is paying a fine set by the State Inspectorate from his own pocket, Puljak added in a Facebook post.

The contract was signed under former mayor Andro Krstulovic-Opara, Puljak said, adding that when he took office, expert services embarked on the project, but park rangers complained that the documentation was incomplete.

After receiving the complaints, Puljak said he ordered the works be stopped and that everything be restored to the original state, and then resigned.

While the city was governed by a government commissioner, the State Inspectorate instructed that things be restored to the original state in 120 days, he added.

After he was re-elected mayor, Puljak said, the commissioner informed him that everything had been restored to the original state, but a month ago the State Inspectorate established that it was not so and fined him, instead of either Opara or the commissioner.

Puljak said he must pay the fine because of omissions by people from the HDZ “in a state which the HDZ has tailored only for itself.”

If this decision by the State Inspectorate becomes habitual, no one in Croatia will get into politics any more, “except members of the HDZ who control institutions,” he said, adding that no mayor, county head or prime minister “will be able to democratically take office ever again because everyone can be punished for their predecessors’ acts.”