Hrvoje Petrač seeks fifth prison sentence delay over health concerns

Hrvoje Petrač is once again seeking to delay the start of his prison sentence, this time for the fifth time. The businessman, convicted in the "Microscopes" affair, has been sentenced to three years and nine months in prison.

Petrač has consistently cited health reasons for his requests for postponement. He has submitted medical documentation to the court, which then consults the Hospital for Persons Deprived of Liberty (BOLS) to determine if his conditions can be treated there. Previously, BOLS deemed that Petrač's health issues could not be adequately addressed within the facility, leading the court to grant his previous requests.

His most recent deadline to report to Remetinec prison was June 15. Petrač voluntarily surrendered in July of the previous year after being unavailable since November 2024, when the "Microscopes" affair emerged. He pleaded guilty and was initially placed in pre-trial detention. He later reached a plea agreement with the USKOK anti-corruption bureau, as did his sons Novica and Nikola Petrač, and Serbian businessman Saša Pozder.

Other individuals involved in the "Microscopes" case, including neurosurgeon Krešimir Rotim, have also faced legal repercussions. Rotim received a 10-month sentence, convertible to community service, and a fine. Petrač's sons have varying statuses in their sentences, with Nikola having completed his and Novica expected to finish in August. Pozder is also seeking a postponement due to health issues and is due to report to prison on June 23. The case has resulted in significant financial penalties and the confiscation of illicit gains, totaling approximately 1.4 million euros paid into the state budget.