Stjepan Đureković

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Stjepan Đureković

Stjepan Đureković (born 1926 in Bukovac, Syrmia Oblast, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes — died 28 July 1983 in Wolfratshausen, West Germany) was a Croatian businessman, best known as the politically-appointed CEO of the state-owned INA petrol company.

In 1982 he defected to West Germany, becoming active in the Croatian nationalist émigré circles hostile to SFR Yugoslavia. It is suspected that he was assassinated by the Yugoslav State Security Service (UDBA).

Early life

Đureković was born in the Bukovac village near Petrovaradin. During World War II he avoided service in the Independent State of Croatia's armed forces to join the Yugoslav Partisans.[1]

Business career in FPR/SFR Yugoslavia

After the war he rose to a position within INA.[1]

Relocation to West Germany

After falling out with the government he defected to West Germany in 1982 where he became involved with the Croatian National Committee, a Croat nationalist organization.[1] Together with Ivan Botić he published Yugoslavia in crisis, in which the two argued that Yugoslavia's large inflation rate and unemployment was resulting in the exploitation of Croatian resources.[2][3]

Assassination

Đureković was assassinated by UDBA agents in 1983.[1] The assassination was code-named Operation Dunav.[4] It took place in Wolfratshausen.

His remains were reburied at Zagreb's Mirogoj cemetery in 1999.[5]

In 2005, Germany put out an arrest warrant on Josip Perković for his involvement in the assassination.[6] Krunoslav Prates has also been put on trial on charges relating to the crime.[7] Some Serbian sources have linked his assassination to Željko "Arkan" Ražnatović, a career criminal known to be contracted by SDB in various operations during the 1970s and 1980s.[citation needed] The German court trying Prates has threatened to take action against Croatian officials who have obstructed Croatian testimony at the trial, including Croatian president Stjepan Mesić.[8]

In 2008 Krunoslav Prates was sentenced to life in prison for his role in the murder.[9] In 2009, the Federal Criminal Police Office of Germany issued warrants for Zdravko Mustač, Josip Perković, Ivan Cetinić, Ivan Lasić and Boris Brnelić for their involvement in the murder as members of the UDBA.[10] In October 2009 German police arrested Luka Sekula, a Croat with Swedish citizenship, for participation in the murder.[11][12] In the morning of 1 January 2014, Josip Perković was arrested in Zagreb.[13]

See also

  • State Security Service

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Dossier: Slučaj Perković ili tko su hrvatski obavještajci - 24sata
  2. ↑ Yugoslavia in crisis
  3. ↑ Stjepan Gabriel Meštrović, Miroslav Goreta, Slaven Letica; The Road from paradise: prospects for democracy in Eastern Europe. University Press of Kentucky, 1993. (p. 77)
  4. ↑ In Germany, suspect in Đureković's killing was captured
  5. ↑ Đureković sentence by Dolanc, Planinc, Spiljak and Ljubicic?
  6. ↑ Suspected of being involved in killings of Stjepan Đureković and Ante Đapić, Danas
  7. ↑ Ante Pavić (19 May 2006). "Prekinuto suđenje Pratesu" [Prates trial suspended]. Nacional (weekly). Archived from the original on 30 June 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2012. 
  8. ↑ Vijesti.net - Minhenski sudac prijavit će Mesića zbog uplitanja u Pratesov sudski proces?
  9. ↑ Prates life imprisonment for role in Đureković killing
  10. ↑ Tjeralica iz Njemačke za udbašima
  11. ↑ U Njemačkoj uhićen bivši jugoslavenski agent zbog ubojstva Stjepana Đurekovića, Slobodna Dalmacija
  12. ↑ Udbaš Vinko Sindičić uhićen u Njemačkoj, Slobodna Dalmacija
  13. ↑ http://www.euronews.com/2014/01/01/former-yugoslav-intelligence-agent-josip-perkovic-arrested-in-zagreb/
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