The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) and the Croatian anti-corruption agency (USKOK) are conducting a joint investigation into suspected misuse of funds at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. The investigation involves allegations of embezzlement of funds from both the State budget and the Internal Security Fund (ISF).
The Ministry reported the irregularities themselves after an internal audit, focusing on travel expenses of IT support staff. The irregularities involved inflated travel expenses, with suspects potentially receiving between 200 and 1000 euros per trip.
Unofficially, five individuals are suspected of misappropriating funds between 2019 and 2024. They allegedly falsely claimed expenses for separate hotel rooms, despite sharing accommodation on trips to several countries including Germany, Ireland, Serbia, Romania, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
EPPO and USKOK are reportedly dividing the charges based on the source of the funds. USKOK will handle charges related to the misuse of state funds, while EPPO will handle cases involving EU funds.