Damir Dekanić, the former prefect of Vukovar-Srijem County and a member of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), has been sentenced to four years in prison by the County Court in Osijek due to his involvement in a traffic accident that he attempted to cover up. Alongside Dekanić, four others—including his cousin Krešimir Bićanić and two police officers—were found guilty in a case concerning the manipulation of the events surrounding the accident. The prosecutor's office, USKOK, contends that Dekanić was behind the wheel and under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident, a claim that has been reluctantly acknowledged by a police officer who reached a deal with the prosecution.

On April 17, 2022, Dekanić reportedly drove a state vehicle while intoxicated, with a blood alcohol level of 1.44 promille, which led to a crash damaging two vehicles and a residential fence. Following the accident, Dekanić allegedly colluded with the owner of one of the damaged cars to fabricate a cover story intended to evade liability for the damages caused. This incident has raised serious questions about political accountability and the ethics of public officials in Croatia, particularly regarding the abuse of power.

Despite the court's ruling, Dekanić's defense team continues to assert his innocence, claiming that it was Bićanić, not Dekanić himself, who was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident. The implications of this case stretch beyond Dekanić's personal consequences, as it sheds light on broader issues of corruption and accountability within Croatian politics, especially among prominent political figures.