Milošević-era customs chief on trial

The trial of former Customs Chief Mihalj Kertes is set to begin today in Belgrade's Special Organized Crime Court. According to an indictment brought on March 13, Kertes was named as a member of an organized crime group headed by former Yugoslav and Serbian president, Slobodan Milosevic, together with Jovan Zebic, the former deputy prime minister, finance minister and national bank deputy governor during the Milosevic regime, and the former Deputy Prime Minister Nikola Sainovic, Milosevic-era customs chief on trial The group has been charged with “abuse of power and smuggling millions of dollars of state money from Serbia to Cyprus in the 1990s.” Milosevic and Zebic have since passed away, and legal proceedings against them have been adjourned, while Sainovic is currently standing trial in the Hague accused of 1999 war crimes committed in Kosovo. Kertes’ rise ran parallel to that of Milosevic, and he is believed to have been one of Milosevic’s closest and most trusted allies. His political career began in January 1989 when he was elected to the Communist Alliance Committee of Vojvodina. He became a member of the presidency in May of the same year. He was an associate Interior Minister in 1992, and joined the government as minister without portfolio in June 1993, to be appointed Federal Customs Chief in 1994 and stay in the post until the fall of the Milosevic regime in October 2000. Kertes is accused of being a member of a criminal group that embezzled at least 120mn German Marks from state funds. The group arranged for a portion of Customs revenues to be transferred to accounts of political organizations and the State Security Agency. A portion of the money was also transferred to Cyprus, without the National Bank of Serbia’s permission. TV B92’s investigative program Insider obtained a statement given by Kertes in 2001, where he admitted he had distributed the Customs money following orders from the top. He reportedly gave money to officials of Milosevic’s Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) at the time. Kertes is also charged with smuggling cigarettes during the 1990s.

Milošević-era customs chief on trial

The group has been charged with “abuse of power and smuggling millions of dollars of state money from Serbia to Cyprus in the 1990s.”

Milošević and Zebić have since passed away, and legal proceedings against them have been adjourned, while Šainović is currently standing trial in the Hague accused of 1999 war crimes committed in Kosovo.

Kertes’ rise ran parallel to that of Milošević, and he is believed to have been one of Milošević’s closest and most trusted allies.

His political career began in January 1989 when he was elected to the Communist Alliance Committee of Vojvodina. He became a member of the presidency in May of the same year.

He was an associate Interior Minister in 1992, and joined the government as minister without portfolio in June 1993, to be appointed Federal Customs Chief in 1994 and stay in the post until the fall of the Milošević regime in October 2000.

Kertes is accused of being a member of a criminal group that embezzled at least 120mn German Marks from state funds.

The group arranged for a portion of Customs revenues to be transferred to accounts of political organizations and the State Security Agency.

A portion of the money was also transferred to Cyprus, without the National Bank of Serbia’s permission.

TV B92’s investigative program Insider obtained a statement given by Kertes in 2001, where he admitted he had distributed the Customs money following orders from the top.

He reportedly gave money to officials of Milošević’s Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) at the time.

Kertes is also charged with smuggling cigarettes during the 1990s.