Ex-Serbian Railways director sentenced to five years

BELGRADE The Special Court has sentenced former Serbian Railways Director Milenko Sarancic to five and two of his associates to four years in prison. According to the indictment, the damages incurred to the company amounted to more than EUR 900,000. Ex-Serbian Railways director sentenced to five years Former ZTP Beograd Assistant Director for Traction and Rolling Stock Zoran Milicevic was sentenced to four years in prison while ZTP Beograd Assistant Director for Traction and Technical Documentation Dragoslav Pejcic was acquitted of all charges. London-based Corel representative and privately owned firm Sibex’s Milorad Celiebic was sentenced to four years in prison for illegally obtaining around RSD 73mn. The sentenced men have the right to file an appeal. The court found the three men guilty of organizing a disputable purchase of six diesel-electric locomotives from the Slovenian Railways and ten diesel engines from Swedish company Sweden Rail, despite the fact that they could have been bought in Serbia, thus incurring damages worth EUR 908,000 to Serbian Railways. The Slovenian and Swedish engines were bought at a much higher price through a middleman instead of being bought directly from the manufacturers. Commenting on the verdict, Sarancic said it had been reached under political pressure of the former regime. He stressed that the former regime still influenced the court decisions. Announcing an appeal, Sarancic said he had faith in his defense attorneys and in a decision of the Appellate Court because today’s verdict “is a great injustice and a disgrace for the Serbian judiciary”. “I believe the Appellate Court will deliver the only fair verdict – an acquittal,” he said. He added that good results of Serbian Railways while he was running the company were the only reason he and his associates were put on trial. Sarancic’s lawyer Goran Petronijevic said he would study the verdict and file an appeal to the Appellate Court, noting he believed that the “second half of the game would finish to our favor”. Serbian Railways stated it would seek compensation in the amount that would be determined later. Sarancic was arrested on June 2, 2010, and the trial against him and his associates started in January 2011. He was in custody for over 13 months and was released on bail pending trial. He accused the Democratic Party (DS) for his arrest at the trial, claiming that the case against him was fabricated and that he was arrested after a conflict with DSofficial at the time, now its leader, Dragan Djilas. Milenko Sarancic (Tanjug) Tanjug

Ex-Serbian Railways director sentenced to five years

Former ŽTP Beograd Assistant Director for Traction and Rolling Stock Zoran Milićević was sentenced to four years in prison while ŽTP Beograd Assistant Director for Traction and Technical Documentation Dragoslav Pejčić was acquitted of all charges.

London-based Corel representative and privately owned firm Sibex’s Milorad Čeliebić was sentenced to four years in prison for illegally obtaining around RSD 73mn.

The sentenced men have the right to file an appeal.

The court found the three men guilty of organizing a disputable purchase of six diesel-electric locomotives from the Slovenian Railways and ten diesel engines from Swedish company Sweden Rail, despite the fact that they could have been bought in Serbia, thus incurring damages worth EUR 908,000 to Serbian Railways.

The Slovenian and Swedish engines were bought at a much higher price through a middleman instead of being bought directly from the manufacturers.

Commenting on the verdict, Šarančić said it had been reached under political pressure of the former regime.

He stressed that the former regime still influenced the court decisions.

Announcing an appeal, Šarančić said he had faith in his defense attorneys and in a decision of the Appellate Court because today’s verdict “is a great injustice and a disgrace for the Serbian judiciary”.

“I believe the Appellate Court will deliver the only fair verdict – an acquittal,” he said.

He added that good results of Serbian Railways while he was running the company were the only reason he and his associates were put on trial.

Šarančić’s lawyer Goran Petronijević said he would study the verdict and file an appeal to the Appellate Court, noting he believed that the “second half of the game would finish to our favor”.

Serbian Railways stated it would seek compensation in the amount that would be determined later.

Šarančić was arrested on June 2, 2010, and the trial against him and his associates started in January 2011.

He was in custody for over 13 months and was released on bail pending trial.

He accused the Democratic Party (DS) for his arrest at the trial, claiming that the case against him was fabricated and that he was arrested after a conflict with DSofficial at the time, now its leader, Dragan Đilas.