The scandals and affairs can do nothing to them: in the local elections they triumphed sheriffs with indictments

Despite the heavy accusations and triggering court proceedings, numerous mayors and county in Croatia have confirmed their power in the 2025 local elections. Denied by affairs involving bribe, abuse of office and benefits, these politicians not only survived, but also convincingly won, showing that legal issues often do not change political support on the field.

Zlatko Babic, who was a member of the HDZ until 2023, was re-elected as the mayor of Kutina as an independent candidate. In the second round, he beat Jasminka Molnar, the SDP candidate with a tight 51.3% vote (5486 votes), while Molnar won 48.7% (5212 votes). He was filed against Babic in December 2023, and in February 2024 and an indictment was confirmed for trading influence and abuse of office and authority. USKOK charges him that from 2019 to 2021 he employed the children and relatives of the councilor to provide support in the City Council, and arranged raises and improvement to individual persons to directing positions. The recordings confirmed by his arrangements were delivered by the then director of the utility company Eko Moslavina, Adrian Cvrtila.

More specifically, USKOK charges Babic that, in exchange for votes, he arranged for the employment of a councilor’s son in Eko Moslavina, as well as an increase in salary to another councilor employed by the same company. Babic’s accusations do not prevent him from still being politically active, so he entered the race with a slogan « for the growing Kutina campaign ».

Stjepan Kozic, a longtime mayor of Zagreb County, was selected for the seventh time in a row, winning in the second round of Mihaela Zmajlovic (SDP, we can!) With a difference of 3564 votes. Uskok chases him for forgery of official documentation and abuse of office. In particular, in 2020, Kozic signed a travel order for a fictional meeting at the Ministry of Science and Education, although in fact at the Mercury Hospital he financed a private celebration at the expense of the county budget. The amount of snacks was HRK 5250. The trial began in April 2025.

Furthermore, Josip Miskovic was again elected mayor of Popovaca in the second round with a very tight difference of 68 votes in front of HDZ candidate Hrvoje Vuic. This is his sixth consecutive term. USKOK charges him for a number of criminal offenses related to the benefits and abuse of office. The 2015 Dinamo Osekovo Football Club’s locker room is a controversial renovation. The competition was formally conducted only for months after the works had already begun and the contract was concluded with the company « Podgorski Services », which then hired the Popovača Style Podagena – the company owned by his wife. According to USKOK, the city budget was damaged by at least HRK 83,000. The investigation is also conducted for other projects that have been implemented in the same way, and the defense denies any guilt.

In the north itself, Matija Posavec won in the first round of local elections with a convincing 62.1% of the vote, securing the fourth term of mayors. In 2021, Posavec resigned after being arrested for receiving bribe, but re -run in early elections and then won.

USKOK claims that Posavec received HRK 10,000 myth in exchange for the appointment of one person to the Governing Council of the Public Institution. He was filmed to receive an envelope in his office, and the whole case encouraged a wider investigation in Međimurje. Posavec admitted to receiving money, but claims that he had no personal benefit and that it was a « wrong perception of relationships with people who want to participate in public bodies. » The trial has been going on since September 2022, but he also enjoys strong local support, especially because of his achievements in education, infrastructure and administration.

The Mayor of Nova Gradiska, Vinko Grgic, was re -elected to the local elections held on May 18, 2025. As an independent candidate, Grgic won 2,722 votes, which accounts for 58.55% of the total votes.

However, Grgic faces serious legal challenges. In May 2023, the Indictment Council of the Zagreb County Court confirmed the indictment of the Office of the European Public Prosecutor (EPPO) against Grgić as part of the Janaf affair. According to the indictment, Grgić is charged with receiving a 15,000 euro of bribes from entrepreneur Kreša Peteca as mayor to provide his companies with priority in public tenders for the construction of the recycling yard and solar power plant in Nova Gradiška. During the trial, recordings of the conversation between Grgić, Pite and other defendants were released, which include arrangements for awarding jobs and financial transactions. Grgic left the SDP 2021 after the outbreak of the affair and has since ran as an independent candidate.

The indictment also has Slavonia, where Damir Juzbasic, Mayor of Županja, was re -elected to this function as an independent candidate, Juzbašić won 2787 votes, making 63.95% of the total votes.

Against him, in 2022, USKOK has indicted him against him as part of the « Baba and Uncle » affair. The indictment is charged with favoring one candidate at the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute (HZMO) during his term as a director. During the trial, the recordings of the conversation between Juzbasic, former ministers Darko Horvat, Tomislav Tolusic and Josip Aladrovic, and former Vice President of V 