Plenković dismissed Milanović's criticism that people arrested in the latest anti-corruption operation were part of the circle of the late Zagreb mayor Milan Bandić, "to whom the HDZ, that is (Prime Minister Andrej) Plenković and his gang, extended brotherly assistance."
Milanović also said that the operation was launched after the local elections "so that DORH (State Attorney's Office) and USKOK (anti-corruption office) wouldn't do their job before the elections."
"As for the judiciary, DORH, USKOK and police, in the term of our first two governments they have been working independently and autonomously. Nobody is privy to secret probes unlike during Milanović's term as prime minister, he himself has said so," Plenković told reporters.
He added that DORH, USKOK and police were achieving good results in the fight against corruption.
"There are no untouchables, there are no cases where proceedings are not launched if there is founded suspicion," he said.
As for Milanović's claims about political influence on the judiciary, Plenković said that prosecutorial authorities "act when they believe that their cases are solid enough to launch an investigation".
"The public should know that and we dismiss claims about the influence of politics on the judiciary," said Plenković.
Text: Hina