- Title: Croatian businessman and Agrokor founder to remain in custody
- Date: 8th November 2018
- Summary: ZAGREB, CROATIA (NOVEMBER 8, 2018) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** (SOUNDBITE) (Croatian) IVICA TODORIC'S DEFENCE LAWYER, JADRANKA SLOKOVIC, SAYING: "We offered the bail and all the conditions Mr Todoric had in England when he was on parole, so the identical bail amount and the security measures which he adhered to for an entire year. However, after all (after court rejected the bail offer) we have concluded that the Croatian and English judiciaries are not the same and (it looks like) the standard (of living) here (in Croatia) is much higher (than in England), so the bail must be set higher." (SOUNDBITE) (Croatian) IVICA TODORIC'S DEFENCE LAWYER, JADRANKA SLOKOVIC, SAYING: "The explanation (given by the court) was that there was no basis to extend detention, since only one witness - who the prosecutors were unable to reach for a year now - hasn't been questioned yet. However, as for the issue of flight risk, it was said that since Mr Todoric was not here (in the country) for the last year, that could be treated as flight risk, which is contrary to our claim." IVICA TODORIC'S DEFENCE LAWYER, CEDO PRODANOVIC, INTERRUPTING, SAYING: "We claim that unavailability for court proceedings does not equal flight risk, because during that time he (Todoric) used his legal rights in England, which is a member of the European Union." IVICA TODORIC'S DEFENCE LAWYERS, JADRANKA SLOKOVIC AND CEDO PRODANOVIC WALKING AWAY FROM COURT BUILDING SURROUNDED BY REPORTERS
- Embargoed: 22nd November 2018 19:41
- Keywords: Croatian businessman Ivica Todoric extradition food producer and retailer Agrokor Zagreb prison
- Location: ZAGREB, CROATIA / LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- City: ZAGREB, CROATIA / LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- Country: Croatia
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions
- Reuters ID: LVA00295NAYIH
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Croatian businessman Ivica Todoric, extradited from Britain, will remain in custody as the court sees him a flight risk, Todoric's lawyer said on Thursday (November 8).
Britain on Wednesday (November 7) extradited Todoric, the founder of beleaguered food producer and retailer Agrokor, to face allegations of fraud totalling tens of millions of euros.
Speaking to reporters outside court on Thursday, Jadranka Slokovic said they had requested for bail and had offered the same conditions under which Todoric had been on parole in Britain, but the court rejected it and decided to keep the businessman for a month after they considered him a flight risk.
Todoric and 14 other people, including former top managers in Agrokor, are being investigated for their role in the debt and liquidity crisis at the company, which is the largest employer in the Balkans, and which was taken over by state administrators in April 2017.
Todoric denies any wrongdoing. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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