Croatia vows new anti-mafia measures

Croatian police continue to examine the crime scene of two murdered journalists in Zagreb. Ivo Pukanic and Niko Franjic died after a bomb was placed under their car. The recent wave of mafia style attacks has prompted Croatia’s Prime Minister to act. Prime Minister Ivo Sanader said: ‘‘There is no need to declare a state of emergency in Croatia, but we will introduce extraordinary measures.’‘

Pukanic, the owner of leading independent newspaper Nacional, had been targeted before in April, but escaped unhurt when a gunman opened fire outside his house. However Nacional, which often ran stories on organised crime, reported Pukanic believed he would be killed.

Earlier this month the daughter of a prominent Croatian lawyer was also murdered after being shot in the head. Croatia has been warned to tackle organised crime and corruption with the violence threatening to scupper its bid to join the EU.

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