Croatian health minister arrested in corruption scandal

Croatian Minister of Health Vili Beros was arrested on Friday as part of an operation led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) on suspicion of bribery, abuse of authority, and money laundering.

According to the EPPO’s statement, Beros, alongside directors of two hospitals, manipulated public procurement processes from June 2022 to November 2024.

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They allegedly accepted bribes to secure inflated contracts and funding for medical robotic devices and operating microscopes, favoring specific companies, Xinhua news agency reported.

In response to the arrest, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic swiftly dismissed Beros and appointed Secretary of State Irena Hristic to oversee the health ministry until a new minister is selected.