Benko Dismisses Chief of Zagreb Police

Following the afternoon beating of the CEO of Industrogradnja, Josip Galinec, the third such attack in the last three months, the recently appointed chief of the Zagreb police, Ivica Tolušić, has been dismissed, and he will be replaced by the former head of the Šibenik-Knin Police Administration, Branko Peran.

"We will do everything to make Zagreb a safe city and to put an end to these outrageous assassination attempts," said Interior Minister Berislav Rončević. The new personnel changes were reported to journalists tonight by the Chief of Police, Marijan Benko, who was entrusted with another mandate by the Government today, along with his new deputy, the former head of the Varaždin police, Dražen Vitez.

"Everyone in this country has the right to live safely, and it is our obligation to bring the perpetrators and instigators to justice. This team is ready to do that," Rončević reiterated. He stated that the new personnel reshuffle, primarily the new Benko mandate, dispels all speculation about disagreements between the Minister of the Interior and the Police Director. "There are no divisions; we are on the same path, and if the authors of those theses come from the police, it means they have too much time on their hands, or too little work," Rončević asserted. He added that he has full confidence in the new police leaders and is convinced that they will do everything to clarify all unresolved cases, including the attacks on journalist Dušan Miljuš and former director of Zagrebačke ceste, Igor Rađenović.

"I assure you that there are no cases that are put in a drawer and on which work is stopped," Rončević said. However, he asserted that he does not feel responsible for the dismissal of the former chief of the Zagreb police, Ivica Tolušić, after only a few months, emphasizing that Tolušić was initially appointed as a "transitional solution." Benko also reiterated that the police are doing everything they can to uncover the perpetrators and instigators of the brutal beatings in Zagreb. However, he stated that there are not enough police officers in the metropolis and that four to five new police stations should be opened. In the interest of the investigation, Benko did not want to answer the question of whether Galinec had previously reported threats or whether the police were aware that he had used the services of private security after some members of the Zagreb underground allegedly tried to extort five million euros from him. (Hina)