Ex- Railways head "could face charges"

Former Serbian Railways Director Milanko Sarancic should be held responsible “if something was wrong” with acquisitions the company made, Velimir Ilic said. The leader of New Serbia (NS) said that the Serbian Railways scandal was a disgrace, as he put it. Ex- Railways head "could face charges" Sarancic and the entire team that has been accused should be held accountable if there were irregularities, Ilic told a press conference and pointed out that had not known that locomotives and carriages had been bought. He claims that he “intervened with the interior minister, Anti-Organized Crime Administration (UBPOK) and Public Procurement Office” several times regarding the acquisitions and that he wanted to relieve Sarancic from his duty but that these institutions told him that everything was alright. “Interior Minister Ivica Dacic now says that he has additional papers he received from Swedish, Italian and Slovenian police. I have not seen these papers, that's something new,“ the NS leader stated. “I’d like to know who the arrested people are, from which political options they are,” Ilic stated. Ilic, who used to be the capital investments minister, said that a coalition agreement with Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), which was a minority partner in the government, had envisaged that NS appointed only a general director of the Serbian Railways and that the company’s management would remain the same. The party’s leader also points out that the NS did not even have a single member in the Serbian Railways’ Board of Management. He claims that he did not know about the purchase of the carriages because Sarancic did not consult with him about it. “He had no reason to consult with me because the Board of Management makes decisions and runs the company,” Ilic explained. He has stated that the affair concerning the purchase of the carriages is a “disgrace to Serbia” because it has been talked about for five years now. “It is proof that there are no institutions in Serbia. This was pulled out now because it was necessary to cover up the Satellite Affair that day,” the NS leader emphasized. The former director of Serbian Railways and another three persons were arrested on Wednesday under the suspicion of incurring EUR 1.24mn of damages to the company.

Ex- Railways head "could face charges"

Šarančić and the entire team that has been accused should be held accountable if there were irregularities, Ilić told a press conference and pointed out that had not known that locomotives and carriages had been bought.

He claims that he “intervened with the interior minister, Anti-Organized Crime Administration (UBPOK) and Public Procurement Office” several times regarding the acquisitions and that he wanted to relieve Šarančić from his duty but that these institutions told him that everything was alright.

“Interior Minister Ivica Dačić now says that he has additional papers he received from Swedish, Italian and Slovenian police. I have not seen these papers, that's something new,“ the NS leader stated.

“I’d like to know who the arrested people are, from which political options they are,” Ilić stated.

Ilić, who used to be the capital investments minister, said that a coalition agreement with Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), which was a minority partner in the government, had envisaged that NS appointed only a general director of the Serbian Railways and that the company’s management would remain the same.

The party’s leader also points out that the NS did not even have a single member in the Serbian Railways’ Board of Management.

He claims that he did not know about the purchase of the carriages because Šarančić did not consult with him about it.

“He had no reason to consult with me because the Board of Management makes decisions and runs the company,” Ilić explained.

He has stated that the affair concerning the purchase of the carriages is a “disgrace to Serbia” because it has been talked about for five years now.

“It is proof that there are no institutions in Serbia. This was pulled out now because it was necessary to cover up the Satellite Affair that day,” the NS leader emphasized.

The former director of Serbian Railways and another three persons were arrested on Wednesday under the suspicion of incurring EUR 1.24mn of damages to the company.