Croatian deputy PM resigns over video of gun firing
Croatia’s Deputy Prime Minister has resigned after footage emerged of him suddenly firing from a moving car.
In the video, Josip Dabro can be seen sitting in the passenger seat talking, laughing and singing along to loud music, then he picks up the pistol and shoots into the darkness through the open window.
Dabrow, who represents the far-right nationalist party Homeland Movement, said the video was several years old and that he fired training bullets.
It is the latest incident to upset Croatia’s coalition, formed in May 2024, with the government calling Dabro’s behavior “inappropriate and irresponsible”.
In a resignation statement posted on Facebook, Dabrow, who was also Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, said he did not want to distract the government.
He said he had been subjected to “significant pressure and threats” over plans to reform the department.
The footage was made public earlier this week.
Dąbro’s party is in a coalition government with Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic’s centre-right Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party.
Last November, Health Minister Willy Brose was dismissed ahead of a corruption investigation.
On Monday, Zoran Milanovic was Re-elected President for second termHe won by almost three-quarters of the vote over rival Dragan Primorac, who was supported by the HDZ party.
After the result, Plenkovic said that “Milanovic doesn’t offer anything” and refused to congratulate him. In Croatia the president plays a largely ceremonial role.
