USKOK rejects Oroslavje mayor's bribery report against two HDZ officials

Without revealing the identity of the parties concerned, USKOK said that it launched an investigation into the case after media outlets published an audio recording of Simunic's conversation with Gredicak and Tusek.

Prosecutors noted that they subsequently received Simunic's report which stated that an attempt had been made to bribe him in exchange for his support to the HDZ in forming the majority in the Krapina-Zagorje County Assembly after local elections in May 2021.

USKOK said that its preliminary investigations established that the conversation took place before local elections were called and that at the time in question Simunic was not a deputy in the county assembly, which is an important element of the reported offence.

"For the element of bribery to be realised, the person who is offered, promised or given a bribe must be, at the time relevant to the act, a deputy in the representative body where they would subsequently vote in a certain way at the request of the person giving the bribe," USKOK explained.

It added that during its investigations statements were taken from several persons showing that after Simunic's conversation with Gredicak and Tusek no concrete action was taken to favour the independent member of the Oroslavje Town Council.

In late January media published an audio recording of a conversation between the former president of the HDZ branch in Krapina-Zagorje County, Zarko Tusek, and then Oroslavje mayor Gredicak with then independent Town Council member Simunic.

The conversation, which was recorded by Simunic, shows Tusek and Gredicak offering Simunic a reciprocal favour for his support to the HDZ after the local elections.