The trial of former Janaf director Dragan Kovačević, charged with receiving and giving bribes and arranging deals in the state-owned company, is set to begin at the Zagreb County Court on Friday, November 24. The indictment against Kovačević includes several other individuals, including entrepreneurs Krešo Petek, Edo Seifried, Ivan Širić, and Vatroslav Sablić. Additionally, two former employees of Janaf, Vlado Zorić and Vladimir Vrbanc are also named in the indictment.
According to the indictment, Petek paid Kovačević and his associates a million euros in a scheme related to jobs worth almost HRK 65 million for Petek’s company. Kovačević is also accused of receiving two apartments from an entrepreneur whose companies he arranged deals worth millions of dollars. Dozens of witnesses are expected to be heard during the procedure for arranging deals worth HRK 100 million.
The trial will also hear testimony about a second part of the Janaf affair involving Kovačević and Petek’s role in arranging jobs for Elektrocentra Petek. A new investigation was launched against Kovačević and Petek by Uskok suspecting him of taking money from Petek in exchange for arranging jobs in Janaf; and Petek of buying clothes for Kovačević and his family and friends.
In a statement before the indictment panel, Kovačević claimed that the indictment is “completely fabricated and false” and urged for a “quick and fair trial.” He attempted to maneuver before the Constitutional Court to save his substantial assets but his efforts were unsuccessful as they had been frozen by Uskok prior to amendment of Criminal Procedure Code in June 2022. Despite these amendments which now count asset freezing period until the indictment is filed it remains unclear what future holds for Kovačević’s assets.
