Stjepan Đureković
| Stjepan Đureković | |
|---|---|
 Stjepan Đureković | |
| Born |
1926 Bukovac, Syrmia Oblast, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes |
| Died |
28 July 1983 (aged 57) Wolfratshausen, West Germany |
| Occupation | Businessman |
Stjepan Đureković (born 1926 – 28 July 1983) 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 opposed to SFR Yugoslavia. It is suspected that he was assassinated by the Yugoslav State Security Service (UDBA).
Early life
Đureković was born in the village of Bukovac 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 in Wolfratshausen, West Germany by UDBA agents in 1983 in "Operation Dunav".[1][4]
His remains were reburied at Zagreb's Mirogoj cemetery in 1999.[5]
In 2005, Germany issued 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. 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]
On 1 January 2014, Josip Perković was arrested in Zagreb. His trial was conducted in Germany, beginning in mid-2014.[13]
See also
References
- 1 2 3 4 Dossier: Slučaj Perković ili tko su hrvatski obavještajci, 24sata.hr; accessed 20 January 2016.(Croatian)
- ↑ Yugoslavia in crisis
- ↑ Stjepan Gabriel Meštrović, Miroslav Goreta, Slaven Letica; The Road from paradise: prospects for democracy in Eastern Europe. University Press of Kentucky, 1993. (p. 77)
- ↑ In Germany, suspect in Đureković's killing was captured, hrt.hr, 9 July 2005; accessed 20 January 2016.(Croatian)
- ↑ Đureković sentence by Dolanc, Planinc, Spiljak and Ljubicic?, vjesnik.hr; accessed 20 January 2016. (Croatian)
- ↑ Suspected of being involved in killings of Stjepan Đureković and Ante Đapić, Danas Archived July 25, 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Vijesti.net - Minhenski sudac prijavit će Mesića zbog uplitanja u Pratesov sudski proces?, index.hr; accessed 20 January 2016.(Croatian)
- ↑ Prates life imprisonment for role in Đureković killing
- ↑ Tjeralica iz Njemačke za udbašima, polizei.bayern.de; accessed 20 January 2016.
- ↑ U Njemačkoj uhićen bivši jugoslavenski agent zbog ubojstva Stjepana Đurekovića, Slobodna Dalmacija; accessed 20 January 2016.(Croatian)
- ↑ Udbaš Vinko Sindičić uhićen u Njemačkoj, Slobodna Dalmacija
- ↑ Former Yugoslav intelligence agent Josip Perković arrested in Zagreb, euronews.com, 1 January 2014; accessed 20 January 2016.