Economy minister fired over adviser’s alleged graft

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković fired Economy Minister Davor Filipović on Tuesday after the weekly Nacional published a story alleging political corruption by an adviser to the minister. 

Nacional published the transcript of an audio recording in which Jurica Lovrinčević, and adviser to Economy Minister Davor Filipović, and Marin Vlahović, a reporter for Mreža TV, are allegedly discussing an advertising deal. Lovrinčević allegedly asks for a 50% kickback in exchange for a huge advertising contract with the TV station for state-run companies and institutions.

The story broke in the morning and Prime Minister Andrej Plenković fired Economy Minister Davor Filipović by the afternoon.

"The reason and the cause for my decision is the information we have all seen in the media reporting. First, it was published in one weekly and then in one daily paper. The correspondence between the adviser of the minister and a reporter that we have all read left me and all of my government colleagues shocked and appalled,” the PM said.

Plenković told a press conference that he had lost confidence in Filipović because Lovrinčević was his hand-picked adviser. He also said that he believed that Lovrinčević has been working against his government and leaking information to other political parties.

The anti-corruption agency USKOK has confirmed that it is looking into the allegations.

Opposition politicians see a larger problem and demand political accountability.

"The key question is to whom the money was going. It surely didn't all go to Lovrinčević," said Sandra Benčić of Možemo.

"Here we don't have 5% or 10%, it's half!?! Clearly the HDZ machine has decided to fleece our pockets using the latest in a string of lackeys," said SDP leader Peđa Grbin.

Marija Selak Raspudić of Most says she wants a formal inquiry by parliament on the matter.

"We want to know who is going to take political responsibility for using taxpayer money for political party purposes," said Selak Raspudić.

Lovrinčević denied the allegations in a social media post, saying that never in his political career had he asked for a kickback or committed any other act of corruption.