Croatia’s government carried out a sweeping personnel shake-up on Thursday, dismissing the heads of several major state-owned companies and public institutions amid a growing series of corruption scandals. The chief state inspector, Andrija Mikulić, was arrested earlier in the day on allegations of accepting bribes.
The dismissals, announced after a closed-door cabinet session, affected leaders at HŽ Infrastructure, Croatian Post, Croatian Lottery, the Health Insurance Fund (HZZO), and other state enterprises. Several of those removed were long-standing members of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and earned salaries of up to 5,000 euros per month.
The government justified the moves as part of efforts to professionalize management and improve efficiency in line with conditions for Croatia’s OECD membership. Officials said interim appointments would be made until permanent replacements are appointed through standard procedures.
Mikulić’s arrest by the Croatian Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organised Crime (USKOK) followed an investigation into alleged bribery involving more than 120,000 euros. Police reportedly served the arrest warrant while he was hunting outside Zagreb.
Other dismissed executives face scrutiny for mismanagement and irregularities in procurement contracts. Ivan Čulo, former head of Croatian Post, has been investigated over a controversial purchase of automated parcel terminals worth 17.7 million euros, while HŽ Infrastructure has long been plagued by failed EU tenders and procurement irregularities. Officials at Croatian Lottery and the Health Insurance Fund also faced accusations of questionable financial dealings.
Analysts said the purge could shift internal power dynamics within HDZ and signal a broader push to tackle corruption in Croatia’s public sector.