Deša Mlikotin-Tomić Released from Custody

A year-long meticulously prepared operation “Index” has brought a significant catch for the police. During searches of houses, apartments, cars, and university offices, 123 indices, 543 applications found with intermediaries, 22 certificates, 12 diplomas, and 23 thesis and seminar papers were seized.

In the searches, the police also found 75,810 euros, 45,000 kuna, two pistols, and about 100 pieces of ammunition. Additionally, 57 personal computers and 77 mobile phones were confiscated, the police reported at a press conference. A total of 61 individuals were detained for questioning. The operation concludes tomorrow when all suspects will be brought before the investigating judge of the County Court in Zagreb. The Dean of the Faculty of Economics, Darko Tipurić, stated for HTV that Deša Mlikotin-Tomić and three other professors from his faculty have been released home.

Revision of Diplomas

The Rector of the University of Zagreb, Aleksa Bjeliš, announced that all of this could have consequences for students – a revision of all diplomas is possible. In last night’s Open program, he stated that faculties that will be left without professors will be assisted by professors from other faculties. Bjeliš mentioned that he has previously received anonymous reports that exams and diplomas are being bought. He requested a statement from the faculties mentioned in the reports. They indicated in their reports that they had also informed the police about this. He added that there are no grounds for his resignation as the University has always reacted to reports of corruption. The Dean of the Faculty of Law in Zagreb, Josip Kregar, stated that if it is proven that exams were obtained illegally, the diplomas should also be annulled. However, he warns that this must be carried out in a legally prescribed manner. Twelve thousand students are working hard, preparing for their exams, studying to earn the right to the diploma they will have. Now to say that Economics students are buyers of exams and professors are sellers is the worst thing that can happen; it is not true, said the Dean of the Faculty of Economics in Zagreb, Darko Tipurić. He reiterated that the Faculty of Economics is not a corrupt organization, but if there are individuals who have sold exams, they must certainly be held accountable for their misdeeds.

Index Focused on Zagreb

The head of the University of Split believes that he will be informed if a similar operation is conducted at their university, but he thinks that this will not happen. “I still believe that there are no professors at the University of Split who would sell their honor, their integrity, for any money in this world,” he said. The operation has not stirred academic circles at the University of Zadar at all, where, judging by their statements, there is no corruption whatsoever. So far, only one similar case has been recorded when a professor from the Department of Culture and Tourism held courses to prepare students for entrance exams for personal gain. She was reported, and the court ruled in favor of the students, said Željko Primorac, president of the Student Council of the University of Zadar, for Slobodna Dalmacija.

Support from Prime Minister Sanader

Ahead of the meeting of the Price Monitoring Commission, Prime Minister Ivo Sanader welcomed the Index operation and congratulated everyone involved, from USKOK to the Ministry of the Interior. He added that the operation is part of the Anti-Corruption Strategy and Action Plan. In response to opposition comments that the HDZ majority imposed Deša Mlikotin-Tomić as the chairperson of the Commission for Deciding on Conflicts of Interest despite opposition objections, Sanader said that in a democracy there is no overruling, but rather 50 plus one vote. Commenting on a journalist’s claim that Mlikotin-Tomić was his moral compass for conflicts of interest, Sanader simply replied: “Not mine, but parliamentary.” When asked how it feels to be the Prime Minister in a country where people who warn about bribery and corruption are beaten, Sanader said that in a country where such actions are not sanctioned, it is not good to be either a Prime Minister or a citizen. He recalled that there have already been serious personnel changes due to this, from deputy directors to the head of the Zagreb police, and he hopes that this will bear fruit. The European Commission does not comment on individual cases of the fight against corruption, but hopes that the Index operation will establish accountability and guilt where it exists. This was stated in Brussels by the spokesperson for the Commissioner for Enlargement, Krisztina Nagy, as reported by hrt.hr.
Photo: jutarnji.hr