Plenković Appointed Mikulić Three Times, Now Refuses Responsibility
The former chief state inspector was arrested in November 2025 on suspicion of corruption, and nine months later, the government has still not appointed his successor.
The former chief state inspector was arrested in November 2025 on suspicion of corruption, and nine months later, the government has still not appointed his successor.
Prime Minister Andrej Plenković today commented on the affair involving illegally dumped hazardous waste in Gospić, the responsibility of the State Inspectorate, and its former head, Andrija Mikulić. In doing so, he dismissed any political responsibility for the appointment of a man his government had placed in that position on three separate occasions.
Mikulić was first appointed chief state inspector in 2019, then again in 2020, and in July 2024 he received a new five-year mandate. Under the regulations, the government's choice of chief state inspector is made on the recommendation of the prime minister, and his responsibility lies directly with the government.
In November 2025, USKOK issued an arrest warrant for Mikulić on reasonable suspicion of corrupt activities. Investigators suspect that he and his godfather, Dragan Krasić, who then held a senior position in the Ministry of Economy related to mining, abused their positions to help the owners of two quarries. Investigators estimate that at least 190,000 euros in bribes were involved, along with meat, cured meat products, timber, and construction materials.
Following Mikulić's arrest, businessman Josip Šincek, the main suspect in the illegal waste affair in Gospić, requested a new interrogation at USKOK. He stated that Mikulić had blackmailed him, demanding approximately 500,000 euros in bribes to get the Inspectorate to drop proceedings against his companies and allow him to continue operations.
Petar Car, Šincek's attorney, confirmed that his client had presented these claims to USKOK. USKOK subsequently checked the credibility of these allegations.
Journalists today asked Plenković whether he feels political responsibility because it was his government that appointed Mikulić. "Anyone appointed to any position is appointed there to work in accordance with the law. Those who do not work in accordance with the law will be held accountable-some politically, others criminally," Plenković stated.
When pressed further on whether he bears responsibility for Mikulić's appointment, he replied: "When you appoint someone to such a position, you don't have that in mind. Nor can you assume it."
Mikulić was dismissed at the end of November last year. After nearly nine months, the government has still not chosen a new chief state inspector. When asked when it would do so, Plenković answered: "When we deem it necessary."
Asked if that means Croatia currently does not need a chief state inspector, he briefly said: "The Inspectorate is functioning." When asked about a timeline for the appointment, he replied: "We haven't set ourselves a deadline." He declined to discuss candidates, and when asked what the decision would depend on, he said: "Well, on our assessment."
The State Inspectorate is currently led by an acting director. The institution has inspectors who oversee environmental protection, waste management, construction, mining, labor relations, and trade, and they have the authority to demand rectification of irregularities, prohibit certain activities, and initiate misdemeanor and other proceedings.
Plenković posted on Twitter that the government is approaching the waste situation in Gospić seriously and responsibly. "We will accelerate the remediation process for a total of 37,000 tons of waste," he wrote. He added that all those who committed criminal acts will be held accountable and that the state will seek reimbursement of funds for the remediation.
He also emphasized that according to measurements by the Croatian Institute of Public Health, there is no threat to drinking water in Lika, and the public will be regularly informed about water quality. "Everyone will be maximally engaged on the waste issue in Gospić-but calmly, rationally, seriously, professionally, and responsibly, without hysteria, panic, or drama," he said.
After today's meeting of the inner cabinet and the coalition, Plenković stated: "The criminal process is underway, remediation is accelerating, and the coalition is stable, with everyone wanting the perpetrators of these criminal acts to be punished as severely as possible."
