Croatian Culture Minister Quits Over Missing Cash

Zlatar Violic has resigned in a formal letter sent to Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic on Wednesday. The Croatian government will formally end her mandate during the course of the day.

Zlatar Violic admitted taking money from the ministry's credit cards in 2013, which she returned later in instalments. According to the daily newspaper Jutarnji list, arround 6,400 euro was taken and returned later.

In her resignation letter, Zlatar Violic accepted responsibility for irregularities in using official credit cards, but stressed that the money was not misused.

She claimed that all the money taken from the account was accounted for, but agreed that it was done in an irregular manner and against a specific rule of the government on the use of ministerial credit cards.

In her letter, Zlatar Violic denied allegations that the cash was used for travel that never occurred and for which no travel warrants were presented.

The government will shortly name the new Culture Minister. Media reports suggested that her deputy, Berislav Sipus, will be the new minister.

The case was seen as a litmus test of the centre-left coalition governments' claim to be stricter in ethical terms than its scandal-ridden, right-wing predecssor.

Claims of financial irregularities in her ministry emerged last week.

Zlatar Violic comes from the ranks of the centre-left Croatian People's Party, HNS. Her party president, Vesna Pusic, who holds the posts of Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, last Friday said she would "accept the consequences", if responsibility for the misdeed was proven.