Milošević’s wife to be tried in absentia

High Court in Belgrade has accepted the proposal of the Prosecutor’s Office that Mirjana Markovic be tried in absentia, after being at large for a while. Judicial Council will decide when the trial is to begin on a later date. Milosevic’s wife to be tried in absentia Criminal Pre-trial Chamber of the Court believes that in the case of Mirjana Markovic, who is charged with illegal distribution of government-owned apartments together with other former officials of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) and Yugoslav Left (JUL), there are particularly important reasons that she be tried, although currently not available to judicial authorities, the Court statement said. The case against Markovic, due to her being on the run, was separated from the proceedings against other defendants - beginning with former Secretary of the Serbian government Zivka Cica Knezevic - and, as stated by the High Court, "at this time, there are two paralel criminal proceedings." The Court stated that the law provided for a possibility that the said criminal proceedings should remain separate or be merged and conducted as a single proceeding, but left it to the Judicial Council to make the decision, pending trial to Zivka Knezevic and others scheduled for November 11. Markovic has been on the run since 2005, when she skipped EUR 15,000 bail, that was subsequently forwarded to the judicial budget. As confirmed by representatives of the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Russian Federation, she enjoys the status of political refugee in that country and cannot be arrested on the grounds of Serbian Interpol warrant, which was issued on the orders of former District Court and is still in effect. Criminal indictment against Mirjana Markovic was on the verge of obsolescence on October 13, so High Prosecutor’s Office had recently decided to alter the crime she was charged for - trading in influence, and accuse her of abuse of power. According to the amended indictment of the High Prosecutor's Office, Mirjana Markovic will be tried for abuse of power because she used her influence as a president of the Yugoslav Left to illegally grant an apartment to one Ilona Pesic. Ilona Pesic served as a nanny for her grandson, the son of Marko Milosevic who is also on the run with the status of a political refugee in Russia. Altering the offense to a more severe form prevented the obsolence of the criminal prosecution, and the case against Markovic can now be tried until 2012, by which time at the latest the sentence should be passed. Mirjana Markovic and her son Marko are under investigation by the Special Court in Belgrade on suspicion that they organized a chain of tobacco smugglers from 1996 to 2001. The investigation, however, is on hiatus until they have been placed under arrest. Special Prosecutor's Office initiated the process in June 2007, while the court ordered they should be placed in custody and the Red Interpol Notice was issued, which is still in effect. Mirjana Markovic (Fonet)

Milošević’s wife to be tried in absentia

Criminal Pre-trial Chamber of the Court believes that in the case of Mirjana Marković, who is charged with illegal distribution of government-owned apartments together with other former officials of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) and Yugoslav Left (JUL), there are particularly important reasons that she be tried, although currently not available to judicial authorities, the Court statement said.

The case against Marković, due to her being on the run, was separated from the proceedings against other defendants - beginning with former Secretary of the Serbian government Živka Cica Knežević - and, as stated by the High Court, "at this time, there are two paralel criminal proceedings."

The Court stated that the law provided for a possibility that the said criminal proceedings should remain separate or be merged and conducted as a single proceeding, but left it to the Judicial Council to make the decision, pending trial to Živka Knežević and others scheduled for November 11.

Marković has been on the run since 2005, when she skipped EUR 15,000 bail, that was subsequently forwarded to the judicial budget.

As confirmed by representatives of the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Russian Federation, she enjoys the status of political refugee in that country and cannot be arrested on the grounds of Serbian Interpol warrant, which was issued on the orders of former District Court and is still in effect.

Criminal indictment against Mirjana Marković was on the verge of obsolescence on October 13, so High Prosecutor’s Office had recently decided to alter the crime she was charged for - trading in influence, and accuse her of abuse of power.

According to the amended indictment of the High Prosecutor's Office, Mirjana Marković will be tried for abuse of power because she used her influence as a president of the Yugoslav Left to illegally grant an apartment to one Ilona Pešić.

Ilona Pešić served as a nanny for her grandson, the son of Marko Milošević who is also on the run with the status of a political refugee in Russia.

Altering the offense to a more severe form prevented the obsolence of the criminal prosecution, and the case against Marković can now be tried until 2012, by which time at the latest the sentence should be passed.

Mirjana Marković and her son Marko are under investigation by the Special Court in Belgrade on suspicion that they organized a chain of tobacco smugglers from 1996 to 2001. The investigation, however, is on hiatus until they have been placed under arrest.

Special Prosecutor's Office initiated the process in June 2007, while the court ordered they should be placed in custody and the Red Interpol Notice was issued, which is still in effect.