Expenses Scandal Sees Croatia’s Culture Minister Resign

Croatia’s Minister of Culture Andrea Zlatar Violić has resigned on Wednesday after being involved in an expenses scandal this week…

“Prime Minister Milanović has accepted the written resignation of Culture Minister Zlatar Violić and she will be relieved from her duties effective today,” the government announced.

Earlier this week Zlatar Violić hit the headlines after a state audit revealed that she had used her Ministry credit card to make cash withdrawals for upcoming business trips that were later cancelled. Violic had paid the money back

“As Minister I accept responsibility for irregularities in the accounting business and I apologise for the lack of control and non-compliance in the financial business. Although all debts have been cleared, I think that my resignation is a logical consequence of my responsibility for irregularities in the financial operations. Therefore I hereby resign as Minister of Culture in the Government of the Republic of Croatia,” she wrote.

Violić and her colleagues had withdrawn more than 152,000 kuna (20,000 euros) for official trips and allowances which were later cancelled. They money was paid back, reported 24sata.