The police on Wednesday launched an investigation against two former chairmen of the managing board of of the Hrvatska Postanska Banka (Croatian Postal Bank or HPB), a former board member and another four suspects to whom the bank approved loans.
The police have not reveal the identity of suspects under investigation, butsources close to this police operation codenamed "Bankomat" (ATM inEnglish), said that former bank CEOs Josip Protega and Mario Kirinic as well asa former board member Ivan Sladonja were among the suspects.
According to the same sources, Sladonja and Kirinic were arrested thismorning, while Protega is according to the media a on his winter holidays inAustria.
The police launched the operation following instructions of the nationalanti-corruption agency (USKOK) that holds that the suspects were involved inwrongdoings and caused large financial damage to the bank when approvingcertain loans to other businessmen.
Protega was the bank's managing board chairman from November 2004 to Augustthis year when he and Sladonja were dismissed by the bank's supervisory boardat the government's proposal.
Kirinic was the bank's CEO in a short period from September to November2004. He was succeeded by Protega. Kirincic was then appointed the director ofthe finance sector within the bank.
