Zlatko Matesa, the former Croatian prime minister and longtime president of the Croatian Olympic Committee (HOO), resigned on May 21, 2026, due to mounting public pressure and a lack of support within the HOO. Matesa's decision came amid an investigation into a 30 million euro fraud case involving the Croatian Ski Association.

The Fraud Case

The Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organised Crime (USKOK) is investigating the alleged embezzlement of 30 million euros from the Croatian Ski Association between 2014 and 2026. Prosecutors accuse Vedran Pavlek, the former head of the association, of leading a crime group responsible for the embezzlement. Pavlek fled the country but was later arrested in Kazakhstan and is currently in extradition proceedings to Croatia.

Matesa's Resignation

Despite not being personally implicated in the investigation, Matesa stepped down out of a sense of moral responsibility. He stated that the focus of the public, institutions, and the entire sports community should be directed toward clarifying all issues within Croatian sport. Matesa emphasized the need for a system in which trust, responsibility, and equality apply equally to everyone.

Matesa's decision followed the resignations of the heads of the handball, basketball, water polo, and volleyball federations, who submitted their resignations to the HOO Council. The four major ball-sport federations' support had been crucial, and Matesa's loss of their backing led to his resignation.

In his resignation statement, Matesa called for a thorough review and analysis of the operations and activities of all components of the sports system, in the interest of its credibility and future. He believed that under the current circumstances, it was his moral obligation to take a step that would allow all attention to be focused on the processes that must bring clarity, trust, and stability.

Matesa, born in 1949, was prime minister from 1995 to 2000, leading the government during the presidency of Franjo Tudjman. He entered politics in 1990 and rose to become a senior member of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ). From 1993 to 1995, he served as Croatia’s economy minister and is remembered for imposing a 22 percent VAT on all products during his term.