Tony Cetinski faces trial over fake COVID certificate allegations

Singer Tony Cetinski appeared at the Zagreb County Court to present his defense against charges of bribery and forgery related to a COVID-19 certificate scandal. USKOK, the Croatian anti-corruption office, alleges that Cetinski paid a bribe through intermediaries to have false vaccination data entered into the official health system, allowing him to obtain an EU digital COVID certificate.

Prosecutors claim Cetinski used the fraudulent certificate on at least three occasions at various border crossings to bypass pandemic-era restrictions. While nearly 200 other individuals involved in the broader investigation—which included medical staff and intermediaries—have reached plea deals involving suspended sentences or fines, Cetinski has rejected a settlement and maintains his innocence.

The investigation identified a network where medical staff, including former nurse Petra Marković, entered false data into the Ministry of Health's registry in exchange for payments typically ranging from 100 to 500 euros. Marković has already pleaded guilty and received a suspended sentence.