USKOK Wants Croatia Mayor Back Behind Bars

Croatia's Office for suppression of corruption and organized crime, USKOK, on Tuesday called for Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandic to be taken back into custody until investigations into his alleged crimes are complete.

Bandic - currently on bail - is accused of using his period at liberty to influence a witness in his upcoming trial, forge documents and undermine the judicial process.

USKOK filed a demand to Zagreb County Court for him to be taken into custody until all the investigations into his case end. It also wants his bail fee of 2 million-euro to be confiscated by the court.

Bandic was arrested in late October 2014 on suspicion of corruption, abuse of office and influence peddling.

He was placed in remand for the duration of the investigation, but then released on bail a month later.

In allowing the release, the court said Bandic may not resume office, obstruct the investigation, influence witnesses or repeat any of his alleged criminal deeds.

He was banned from communicating with any possible witnesses until the investigation was over.

In the meantime Bandic is also being probed by USKOK concerning a donation to a socially conservative NGO, "In the Name of the Family", causing a loss some 40,000 euro to the City of Zagreb's budget.

Bandic, Mayor of the Croatian capital for more than 14 years, was once one of the most popular politicians in the country.

A former senior member of the governing Social Democratic Party, SDP, he ran for the country's presidency against Ivo Josipovic in the 2009/10 elections, losing in the second round.