The Croatian Parliament on Friday voted to revoke the immunity of HDZ representative Franjo Lucić, granting approval for criminal proceedings against him for allegedly committing the crime of bribery.
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The request to revoke Lucić’s immunity was made by the State Attorney’s Office, specifically Uskok, and the Parliament always complies with such requests.
Lucić is accused of allegedly attempting to bribe journalist Drago Hedl.
Opposition representatives Tomislav Panenić (Most) and Željko Jovanović (SDP) stated that this event is “unacceptable to everyone” and that Lucić’s actions are an “example of scandalous behavior.” The fact that a parliamentary representative bribes a journalist is the most disgraceful thing that has happened since I have been in Parliament, said Jovanović, adding that his colleague should “be ashamed.”
Branimir Glavaš (HDSSB) asserted that Lucić should not have his immunity revoked, as the County Court rejected the request to open an investigation because it does not involve bribery. He stated that Hedl is “not a professional journalist, but a slanderer who abuses the journalistic pen” and that until 1990, he accused Cardinal Stepinac of being a Ustaša war criminal.
– If that is not bribery, then I don’t know what is, Jovanović replied, defending Hedl, stating that he “has never been afraid to write the truth.” He should be protected from people like you and Lucić, he retorted to Glavaš, who insisted that Hedl is not a professional journalist.
There were 115 representatives in favor of revoking Lucić’s immunity, while one was against it.
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The ruling on the investigation that Uskok initiated against Lucić last summer, due to suspicion that he offered Hedl a bribe to refrain from writing about his business transactions, was overturned last week by the investigating judge of the Osijek County Court based on an appeal in which Lucić and his defense argued that there is no crime of bribing a journalist in this case. Uskok appealed this decision, and the final ruling is expected to be made by the non-litigious council of the Osijek court.
Following previous practices, the Parliament did not revoke the immunity of HDZ representative Tomislav Klarić, who was sued for defamation by a private prosecutor.
