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🇭🇷 Croatia /Crime & Justice

Tony Cetinski denies buying fake COVID certificate in court: ‘I was not vaccinated; that was not an option’

From Večernji List · () Croatian

Translated from Croatian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources In the courts
  • Tony Cetinski denied buying a fake COVID certificate during proceedings at Zagreb County Court.
  • He said he had recovered from COVID-19 and believed the certificate he used to cross borders documented recovery, not vaccination.
  • The case concerns alleged false vaccination records involving at least 226 certificates, and the trial will continue next month.

Tony Cetinski told Zagreb County Court that he did not buy a fake COVID certificate, but believed the document he received showed that he had recovered from the virus.

The singer said he contracted COVID-19 in February 2021 and requested a recovery certificate through the Croatian Health Insurance Fund because he needed it to perform abroad. He testified that guitarist Marko Vojvodić told band members they would receive certificates, after which Cetinski received a code.

I asked for a recovery certificate so that we could work, meaning perform abroad.

· Tony CetinskiHe explained why he sought documentation after recovering from COVID-19.

“I screenshotted the code and crossed the border with it, not knowing it was a fake vaccination certificate. I thought it was a recovery certificate,” Cetinski said. He also denied being vaccinated or paying a bribe, adding: “I was not vaccinated; that was not an option.”

I screenshotted the code and crossed the border with it, not knowing it was a fake vaccination certificate. I thought it was a recovery certificate.

· Tony CetinskiHe described how he used the certificate while denying that he knew it was false.

Prosecutors from Croatia’s Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organised Crime, USKOK, allege that former health worker Petra Rumiha falsely recorded vaccinations in the health system during 2021. The records then enabled people to receive EU digital COVID certificates. At least 226 false vaccinations were allegedly entered.

Rumiha admitted guilt and reached a plea agreement. She received a two-and-a-half-year sentence, including one year to be served, a 15,000-euro fine and the confiscation of 22,600 euros in proceeds. Official records cited by USKOK say Cetinski’s certificate was issued on Nov. 8, 2021, with a vaccination date of Oct. 1. Police records show it was used three times at border crossings in Slavonski Brod, Bajakovo and Orah-Orahovlje.

I was not vaccinated; that was not an option.

· Tony CetinskiHe denied receiving a COVID-19 vaccination and rejected the prosecution’s allegations.

Hvar restaurateur Giorgio Meneghello also gave evidence. He said he received one Moderna dose but not a second, and admitted receiving a false certificate after giving his details to a man who claimed he could speed up the process. Meneghello said he did not use the certificate or pay a bribe. The trial resumes next month, when Vojvodić is expected to testify.

When I received the code, I saw that it said Johnson, so I did not use the certificate.

· Giorgio MeneghelloHe described rejecting the false certificate he said he received.
About this summary

Originally published by Večernji List in Croatian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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