President of the Republic Ivo Josipović expects all relevant state bodies to fulfill their duties in accordance with the law, as the investigation into the privatization of Ina is one of the cases by which Croatia’s status as a rule of law will be assessed.
This does not necessarily mean that someone must be convicted. It means that the process must be thorough, professional, fair, and free from political influence, emphasized Josipović. This is his comment on the investigation and the testimony of former Deputy Prime Minister Damir Polančec before the parliamentary committee. Speaking about the political aspect of the case, Josipović emphasizes that Ina is not sold every day, and the entire government must have been aware of it. Ina is a key economic entity in Croatia, it has been, and still plays a significant role. Therefore, when the decision was made to sell Ina, I believe the entire government must have been informed. This is part of the general responsibility for performing duties. If there were those who did not know what was happening, I clearly state, they should have known, said the president.
When asked for a comment on the meeting between Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor and Polančec, who has been accused in three cases (Podravka, floodlights, and unnecessary expert studies), Josipović pointed out that Kosor stated the meeting was not secret. However, of course, when high state officials, regardless of who they are, meet with defendants, they should do so in a manner that is not interpreted as influencing the judiciary and judicial process. I believe there was no such intention, but it is delicate, at the very least delicate, he asserted. (www.hrt.hr)
