1. What is the current legal landscape for Bribery & Corruption in your jurisdiction?
The current legal situation in the area of bribery and corruption in the Republic of Croatia may be described as normatively developed and to a great extent harmonized with international standards, but with increasingly pronounced tensions between the goal of efficiency of criminal prosecution and the preservation of the procedural rights of the defence.
In the substantive-law sense, the system is based on the Criminal Code, which contains a developed catalogue of corruption-related criminal offences in the public and private sectors, including the receiving and giving of bribes, trading in influence, and special forms of corruption in economic business operations. The recent amendments to the Criminal Code from 2025 additionally strengthened the international dimension of criminal prosecution and extended the application to legal persons, whereby the Croatian system has been additionally harmonized with OECD and EU standards.
At the procedural level, the amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act from February 2026 are directed primarily at increasing the efficiency and accelerating criminal proceedings, especially in complex corruption cases. However, it is precisely in that segment that the question of the balance between efficiency and fairness of the proceedings arises. According to available expert criticism, the new provisions introduce solutions which may limit the procedural rights of the defence, for example through the action of the indictment council without the participation of the parties, whereby the defendant and defence counsel are denied the possibility of orally presenting arguments at a key stage of the proceedings.
Additionally, the legal profession warns that such amendments may lead to the impairment of the principle of adversarial proceedings and “equality of arms”, as well as to general legal uncertainty, since the new procedural regime is also applied to proceedings that have already been initiated without a transitional period. At the same time, some experts and the Croatian Bar Association point out that the amendments move in the direction of strengthening the position of the state attorney’s office and weakening the procedural position of the defence, which may lead to inequality of the parties in the proceedings.
For the stated reasons, proceedings for the review of the constitutionality of the amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act have already been initiated, or announced, with the argument that certain provisions may be contrary to the constitutional guarantee of the right to a fair trial and defence.
At the institutional level, the system is still strongly structured through specialized bodies such as USKOK and PNUSKOK, with the additional role of the EPPO in cases relating to the financial interests of the European Union. The strategic framework is additionally defined by national anti-corruption strategies and action plans, which confirms the continuous political priority of the fight against corruption.
Despite this, in practice there are still significant challenges, including the complexity of proving corrupt relationships, the length of proceedings, problems in handling electronic evidence, and the appearance of complex economic patterns such as carousel frauds and so-called “missing traders”.
In conclusion, it may be said that the Republic of Croatia today has at its disposal a relatively developed and internationally harmonized legal framework for the suppression of bribery and corruption, but that the current procedural reforms raise serious questions about the preservation of the fundamental rights of the defence, which is why the further development of the system will largely depend on judicial practice and possible intervention by the Constitutional Court.
2. What three essential pieces of advice would you give to clients involved in Bribery & Corruption matters?
In the context of the Croatian legal and practical framework, I would give clients involved in bribery and corruption issues three fundamental, mutually connected pieces of advice.
First, it is necessary to establish and actually implement an effective and documented compliance system, and not rely on the formal existence of internal acts. This implies clear procedures for approving expenses, records of communications and decisions, due diligence of business partners, and special attention when engaging intermediaries, consultants and subcontractors. In the Croatian context, this is especially important because of the frequent occurrence of carousel frauds and so-called “missing traders”, where risks are often transferred through business relationships. In the event of proceedings, it is precisely the documentation and traces of decision-making that constitute the key defence. Therefore, it is important to work on prevention.
Second, in the event of suspicion of irregularities, it is necessary to conduct an internal investigation in a timely and professional manner with the involvement of external lawyers. In this way, a higher level of legal protection of communication and control over evidence is ensured, which is especially important in view of the limited reach of the protection of internal communication (in-house counsel). At the same time, electronic evidence should be managed carefully, because irregularities in its collection and preservation may lead to its procedural unusability, which in practice may be decisive for the outcome of the proceedings. In the event that the engaged lawyers, after a legal review of the submitted suspect documentation, notice certain irregularities or unlawfulness, it is necessary to report all of the above to the criminal prosecution authorities through the form of a criminal complaint and, once proceedings have been initiated, to cooperate fully with them.
Third, clients should approach the situation proactively and strategically in relation to the prosecution authorities, including a timely assessment of risk, the possibility of cooperation and management of reputational consequences. The Croatian system recognizes instruments such as plea agreements and the status of crown witness, which in certain situations may significantly affect the criminal-law position. At the same time, it is important from the outset to conduct the defence having in mind the procedural specificities and potential weaknesses of the proceedings, including issues of legality of evidence and respect for defence rights. However, if criminal proceedings are instituted against the client and the client is convinced of his or her innocence and possesses documentation with which he or she can substantiate the accusation, then my advice is that the client engage in the proceedings and, led by expert defence counsel, participate in the proceedings until the rendering of a final decision.
In conclusion, the key to successful risk management in this area lies in a combination of prevention, timely reaction and strategic conduct of the proceedings, with full awareness of the specific features of the Croatian criminal-law and business environment.
3. What are the greatest threats and opportunities in bribery & corruption law in the next 12 months?
In the next 12 months, the area of bribery and corruption in the Republic of Croatia will probably be marked not only by classic challenges, but also by increasingly pronounced hybrid forms of criminality, in which corruption overlaps with digital and financial-technological abuses.
As one of the greatest threats, I see the transformation of corruption models through technology. Traditional forms of bribery are increasingly less frequently carried out in the “classic” form of direct giving of money, and increasingly more often through complex digital structures, including cryptocurrencies, tokenized values and off-chain transactions which make the tracing of money flows more difficult. Such forms of “digital bribery” may be formally concealed as investments, consultancy fees or technological services, which additionally complicates the proving of the causal link between the benefit and the quid pro quo.
Additionally, criminal offences connected with artificial intelligence and computer frauds represent an ever greater challenge, which may be used as a tool for concealing or facilitating corrupt activities. For example, AI may be used to generate false documentation, simulate business relationships or manipulate communications, while computer frauds may serve as an “entry point” for later corrupt arrangements. In that sense, the line between corruption, fraud and cybercrime is becoming increasingly fluid.
A special risk is also represented by automated schemes of economic crime, including more sophisticated versions of carousel frauds and “missing trader” models, which today may be managed digitally and in real time, with minimal physical presence of the perpetrators. Such structures make the identification of the real decision-makers and the real beneficiaries of unlawful benefit more difficult.
At the normative and procedural level, a threat is also represented by the potential mismatch between the speed of technological development and the ability of the legal system to follow it, especially with regard to digital forensics, lawful obtaining of evidence and their procedural sustainability. Already now there is a risk that improperly collected or processed digital evidence will be excluded from the case file, which may have a decisive impact on the outcome of proceedings.
On the other hand, precisely in those changes significant opportunities are also hidden. First of all, the development of technology also enables more advanced tools for detecting irregularities, including the analysis of large data sets, recognition of suspicious patterns and automated monitoring of transactions. Business entities that integrate such tools into their compliance systems may identify risks much earlier and prevent potentially criminal-law relevant conduct.
Also, further development of the legal framework is expected in the direction of regulation of artificial intelligence and digital finance, which may lead to clearer rules of the game and greater legal certainty for entities operating in those sectors.
In conclusion, the greatest threat in the coming period is not only corruption as such, but its digital evolution, while the greatest opportunity will be the ability of business entities to use that same technology for their own protection, transparency and compliance with regulations.
4. How do you ensure high client satisfaction levels are maintained by your practice?
I ensure a high level of client satisfaction in my practice primarily through an individualized and professionally rigorous approach to each case, with a clear orientation toward protecting their legal interests in criminal proceedings.
The foundation of my work is a thorough and detailed analysis of criminal documentation, whereby I devote special attention to the procedural aspects of the proceedings. In that context, I systematically identify formal-legal errors of the criminal prosecution authorities, especially in the phase of collecting and presenting evidence. I actively point out such errors before the court, using procedural mechanisms such as the exclusion of unlawful evidence, thereby ensuring clients a considerably more favourable procedural position and strengthening their defence.
An equally important element of the relationship with clients is timely and high-quality communication. I respond to all client inquiries in writing, clearly, with grounding, and without delay, so that they have complete information about their case at every moment. In addition, through oral communication and regular meetings I further clarify legal aspects, procedural steps and possible scenarios, taking care that the client fully understands his or her situation.
However, I consider crucial something that is often lacking in practice – complete honesty and professional objectivity toward the client. I always confront the client with the actual state of the case file, without embellishment or concealment of risks. I consider that precisely such an approach is necessary so that the client can make informed decisions and understand the potential consequences of the proceedings.
In conclusion, I build a high level of satisfaction through a combination of expert analysis, procedural strategy, effective communication and complete transparency, whereby the client’s trust is the result of consistent and responsible work, and not of a formal relationship.
5. What technological advancements are reshaping bribery & corruption law and how can clients benefit from them?
Technological advances in the last several years are significantly reshaping the area of bribery and corruption, both with regard to the manner of commission of criminal offences and with regard to their detection, proof and prevention. In the Croatian context, these influences are increasingly felt both in the practice of criminal prosecution and in the business environment.
First of all, the digitalization of communication and business operations has led to electronic data becoming key evidence in corruption cases. E-mails, messages, metadata and digital traces often form the basis of the evidentiary procedure. This simultaneously increases the risk for clients, but also opens the possibility of defence, especially in situations where evidence has been obtained contrary to procedural rules, which may lead to its exclusion from the case file.
Second, cryptocurrencies and digital assets are of ever greater significance, being used as alternative channels of transfer of value. Such forms of “digital bribery” make the tracing of money flows more difficult, but at the same time they also develop new methods of forensic analysis. Clients who establish internal controls over such transactions in a timely manner may avoid serious legal and reputational risks.
The third key element is artificial intelligence (AI). On the one hand, AI may be used for sophisticated concealment of irregularities, including the generation of false documentation or manipulation of data. On the other hand, the same technology also enables advanced tools for detecting suspicious patterns, analysis of large quantities of data and identification of risky transactions. The introduction of AI systems into compliance functions may significantly improve the ability of legal persons to recognize and prevent corruption risks at an early stage.
Additionally, the development of digital forensics and data analytics enables the prosecution authorities ever more sophisticated investigations, but also provides the defence with new tools for reviewing the legality and credibility of evidence. In that context, technical expertise is becoming just as important as legal argumentation.
In relation to business entities – potential clients, technological advancement also opens concrete advantages. Today, through AI tools, clients can act preventively to prevent criminal offences, especially through better monitored systems of financial transactions and control of business processes within their organizational units. Such systems enable the timely recognition of unusual patterns of behaviour and potentially risky transactions.
At the same time, the fact that most business documentation today is in electronic form enables clients simpler management and review of documentation, as well as its quick and efficient delivery to the competent authorities when necessary. In this way, not only is cooperation with prosecution authorities facilitated, but also the possibility of proving lawful conduct is strengthened.
In conclusion, technology simultaneously increases the complexity and risks in the area of bribery and corruption, but for those clients who properly integrate it into their business operations it provides a powerful tool for prevention, proving lawfulness and strategic management of legal risks.