The Mayor of Buja, Fabrizio Vižintin, has resigned from that position after being in pre-trial detention since July due to suspicion of corruption, so early elections for the mayor are expected in that city, the President of the Buja City Council, Bojana Puziga, confirmed on Thursday.
“The resignation for our city means the end of a political period. I respect his decision and believe that it opens up space for our city to emerge from the uncertainty that has burdened us in recent months,” Puziga wrote on the social network.
She added that the resignation for Buje means early elections for the mayor and an opportunity for citizens to decide who they want to entrust with the leadership of the city. “Until then, we must ensure the orderly functioning of the city administration and services,” said Puziga.
In Buje, the coalition of IDS and SDP is in power. Vižintin stepped down from the Presidency of IDS, but remained a member of the party. The party accepted the resignation of the Presidency, with the message that it supports the actions of the competent institutions, but also that it respects the principle of the presumption of innocence.
Vižintin was arrested in July as part of the USKOK investigation on suspicion of abuse of position and favoritism in the awarding of city jobs, and since then he has been in pre-trial detention, which was extended for another two months in August. After his arrest, an independent city councilor, Danilo Pištan, was appointed as a temporary deputy, who performs the tasks prescribed by law related to the functioning of the city administration.
In the official resignation statement, Vižintin stated that he is submitting his irrevocable resignation as a responsible person, because his remaining in the post of mayor creates conditions for continued damages and disruptions in the functioning of the City of Buje.