Kertes declares himself on charges

Former Customs Administration Director Mihalj Kertes, who is charged with fraud and embezzlement, continued his statement. The former close Milosevic associate claims that he paid part of the customs money in question into separate Beobanka accounts on the orders of the government and department ministers, during the 1990's. Kertes declares himself on charges He denied prosecution claims that, on the orders of the late President Slobodan Milosevic and Deputy Prime Ministers Nikola Sainovic and Jovan Zebic, he had paid the money into a special Beobanka account. "Those were the orders of the government and department ministers, and the money was paid in by the authorized customs department, and not me," maintained the former director. The accused claimed that, prior to his assuming the post of director, accounts had been opened at Beobanka, because it had been decided to redirect customs funds through that bank into the economy. "Economic entities are protected, otherwise how would they be sold today," he said. Kertes also said he had never ordered the destruction or withdrawal of customs documents. "To my knowledge, documents were not taken out of State Security (DB) or destroyed while I was the head of customs. Not on October 4, 5, or 6, 2000, " added the accused. He explained that he had only destroyed internal daily reports intended for him, which had no letterheads and were not official documents. In 2001, Kertes was accused of ordering documents relating to the turnover of goods, to be taken out of the Interior Ministry’s Department of State Security in order to be destroyed, on October 6, 2000. Kertes’ trial began yesterday at the Special Court for Organized Crime in Belgrade, charged with fraud and embezzling state funds worth hundreds of millions of dollars out of the country. The charges were brought in March and included the names of Milosevic, Sainovic, and Zebic. The charges against Milosevic and Zebic have dropped, because they have since passed away, while the charge against Sainovic has been split, as he is in the Hague. According to the charges, in 1994, Milosevic created a criminal group whose members included Kertes, Sainovic, and Zebic. They abused their position by using economic structures and exerting their influence on the executive authorities. They go on to accuse Milosevic, as president, Kertes as customs director, and Sainovic and Zebic as deputy prime ministers of diverting revenues from the Customs Administration to the Socialist party, secret police, and offshore Cypriot bank accounts. The prosecution alleges that from 1994 to October 2000, money was paid into the accounts of 1,182 companies, including Krusik from Valjevo, Sloboda from Cacak, and Crvena Zastava from Kragujevac, thus defrauding state funds to the tune of several million euros. At yesterday’s hearing the charges were read out, after which Kertes started giving evidence. He denied committing any crime, and was rather carrying out stipulated state policies, and said that the charges were "politically staged."

Kertes declares himself on charges

He denied prosecution claims that, on the orders of the late President Slobodan Milošević and Deputy Prime Ministers Nikola Šainović and Jovan Zebić, he had paid the money into a special Beobanka account.

"Those were the orders of the government and department ministers, and the money was paid in by the authorized customs department, and not me," maintained the former director.

The accused claimed that, prior to his assuming the post of director, accounts had been opened at Beobanka, because it had been decided to redirect customs funds through that bank into the economy.

"Economic entities are protected, otherwise how would they be sold today," he said.

Kertes also said he had never ordered the destruction or withdrawal of customs documents.

"To my knowledge, documents were not taken out of State Security (DB) or destroyed while I was the head of customs. Not on October 4, 5, or 6, 2000, " added the accused.

He explained that he had only destroyed internal daily reports intended for him, which had no letterheads and were not official documents.

In 2001, Kertes was accused of ordering documents relating to the turnover of goods, to be taken out of the Interior Ministry’s Department of State Security in order to be destroyed, on October 6, 2000.

Kertes’ trial began yesterday at the Special Court for Organized Crime in Belgrade, charged with fraud and embezzling state funds worth hundreds of millions of dollars out of the country.

The charges were brought in March and included the names of Milošević, Šainovic, and Zebić.

The charges against Milošević and Zebić have dropped, because they have since passed away, while the charge against Šainović has been split, as he is in the Hague.

According to the charges, in 1994, Milošević created a criminal group whose members included Kertes, Šainovic, and Zebić. They abused their position by using economic structures and exerting their influence on the executive authorities.

They go on to accuse Milosević, as president, Kertes as customs director, and Šainović and Zebić as deputy prime ministers of diverting revenues from the Customs Administration to the Socialist party, secret police, and offshore Cypriot bank accounts.

The prosecution alleges that from 1994 to October 2000, money was paid into the accounts of 1,182 companies, including Krušik from Valjevo, Sloboda from Čačak, and Crvena Zastava from Kragujevac, thus defrauding state funds to the tune of several million euros.

At yesterday’s hearing the charges were read out, after which Kertes started giving evidence. He denied committing any crime, and was rather carrying out stipulated state policies, and said that the charges were "politically staged."