Minister Lalovac says new tax fraud investigations nearing completion

Finance Minister Boris Lalovac said on Thursday that the Ministry's Tax Fraud Department was about to complete investigations into financial transactions of some persons from the banking and business sectors and that more should be known in 15-20 days because the relevant documentation had been submitted to the Office of the Chief State Prosecutor.

"You will hear very soon about new cases," Lalovac said in an interview in the central news broadcast on Croatian Television.

He added that in those cases there was a huge disproportion between personal property and the amount of tax paid.

"The property of all commercial bankers with certain transactions is being investigated and if discrepancies are found, they will have to pay taxes because the law is the same for everyone," said the minister.

He confirmed that he was under police protection, in line with a police security assessment.

Asked by the host again to comment on a recent threat he received from banker Bozo Prka, Lalovac said that he was not exaggerating anything and that there was evidence as well as witnesses.

He added that he had expected the unpleasant situations he was encountering because Croatian citizens' bank accounts held abroad had only now begun to be checked.

Lalovac underlined that there could be no talk of any politically-motivated proceedings and that all citizens must be equal before the law and pay taxes.

(Hina) rml

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