Zagreb - A proposal put forward by 18 opposition lawmakers to set up an inquiry commission tasked with investigating the allocation of state funds for advertising in the media did not receive the support of the parliamentary majority.
The establishment of such a commission was requested by the opposition following the revelation of the Mreža TV scandal, which led to the dismissal of then Economy Minister Davor Filipović and his special advisor Jurica Lovrinčević.
Lovrinčević had allegedly offered financial incentives from state-owned enterprises to the local Zagreb television station Mreža TV in exchange for advertising space, with the stipulation that a portion of the funds be returned to him personally.
The opposition suspects that similar transactions were not only used to siphon money from state-owned companies but also to influence favourable media coverage of the ruling party, government officials, and Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.