Suspected Arsonist Received Over 220,000 Euros in Subsidies

A suspect in a series of arson cases in Croatia's Zadar region has been revealed to have received substantial agricultural subsidies. D.S., one of four individuals accused of intentionally starting ten fires between August 14 and 15, has been paid a total of 220,974.42 euros in agricultural support from 2017 up to August 18, 2026.

The payments, confirmed by the Agency for Payments in Agriculture, Fisheries, and Rural Development, include 161,270.23 euros from the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund, 57,340.43 euros from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, and 2,363.76 euros from national funds. Data published on the agency's website shows he received 22,195.28 euros for the 2024 financial year and 21,814.48 euros for 2025, specifically for a user in Donji Biljani, Zadar County, linked to a farm near Benkovac.

Authorities are investigating the connection between the suspect and the fires that broke out across the Zadar area, including locations like Bilog Briga, Zemunik Donji, Galovac, Donji Biljani, and Benkovac. The suspects are currently charged with a serious crime against public safety. All four have been placed in one-month pre-trial detention due to the risk of re-offending, with one suspect also facing detention for fear of flight.

This case also touches upon a broader environmental issue in the region. Another suspect, V.Ć., is linked to a significant ecological scandal involving a "black mountain" of industrial waste from the former TEF factory in Šibenik. An estimated 140,000 tons of waste were dumped on his land in Donji Biljani, making it one of the most notorious environmental cases in the Zadar hinterland. V.Ć. had previously stated that he leased part of his inherited land, where construction material was supposed to be stored.