Sawt Falasteen - Croatia ex-international Simic held in graft case

An investigation has been opened into three Croatian nationals suspected of "unlawful issuance of a permit allowing a campsite to operate", the anti-corruption prosecutors said in a statement.

The three are suspected of "abuse of office and authority, as well as incitement to commit such abuse", the statement said without unveiling the suspects' identity.

Simic was held in the capital Zagreb, the state-run HINA news agency reported earlier Tuesday, while local media published photographs of him in handcuffs exiting a police vehicle.

His lawyer Ivan Stanic told media the charges were unfounded, and his client had always acted "honestly and with integrity".

"Simic does not feel guilty because he has never committed any unlawful act," Stanic said declining to elaborate on the allegations against Simic.

The prosecutors said they did not request that the suspects be remanded in custody as there were no grounds for such a measure.

Two more people, who were taken into custody along with the 50-year-old Simic, include a former regional tourism official accused of helping Simic obtain the required campsite permit and a local businessman who allegedly acted as an intermediary, according to HINA.

In 2024, local authorities in Tisno, where the campsite is located, filed complaints against Simic over alleged illegal construction in a protected coastal zone.

The case concerns a small private campsite with 10 pitches for up to 30 people, according to media reports.

The former tourism official and four others were charged last year with allegedly issuing unlawful campsite permits.

Simic retired from international football in 2008 after becoming the first Croatian to earn 100 caps for his country.

A defender, Simic entered club football with his hometown club Dinamo Zagreb in 1992 and played his first international four years later, before going on to play a key role as Croatia took third place at the 1998 World Cup.

After six seasons at Dinamo he joined Inter Milan, later moving on to city rivals AC Milan, where he won one Serie A and two Champions league trophies before joining Monaco in 2008.

Simic returned to Dinamo two years later shortly before retiring.

He has since started a prominent bottled water company, which is stocked throughout the region.

A.AlHaj--SF-PST