Damir Polančec

Damir Polančec
File:Damir Polančec.jpg
Minister of Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship
In office 12 January 2008 – 30 October 2009
Prime Minister	Ivo Sanader
Preceded by	Branko Vukelić
Succeeded by	Đuro Popijač
Deputy Prime Minister
In office 17 February 2005 – 30 October 2009
Preceded by	Andrija Hebrang
Succeeded by	Ivan Šuker
Personal details
Born	(1967-06-25) 25 June 1967 Koprivnica, SFR Yugoslavia
Nationality	Croat
Political party	Croatian Democratic Union
Alma mater	University of Zagreb (Faculty of Agronomy)

Damir Polančec (born 25 June 1967) is a Croatian politician. Polančec served as the Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship in the Croatian Government of Ivo Sanader and later Jadranka Kosor between 2003 and 2009.

On 30 October 2009, Polančec resigned citing a need to avoid damaging the Government and the party (Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ) due to accusations leveled at him for his involvement in the mismanagement of Podravka.

On 30 March 2010, Polančec was apprehended by the police and questioned by USKOK, regarding his involvement in certain financial transactions between Podravka, MOL Group and OTP Bank. The County Court in Zagreb authorized a longer detention for Polančec and also blocked his estates, at the request of USKOK.

On 15 October 2010, Polančec was sentenced to 15 months in prison for a separate instance of abuse of power, where he approved a fictional expense to a Vukovar-based attorney in return for his clients dropping lawsuits against the government.