Question marks raised over JRB tender

The tender for the privatization of the Yugoslav River Shipping Company (JRB) is irregular, says the second-placed bidder. Palmali Shipping from Malta claim that the tender winner submitted false documentation. Question marks raised over JRB tender They say that copies of an agreement proving that the Tamoza-Daxin consortium from Singapore is a shipping company are forged. Being active in the industry was one of the conditions of the tender. According to the existing copies, Tamoza-Daksin leased ships from Swiss company Silverstone and Rixo for the purposes of the tender, while Palmali claim that the privatization should be stopped because the boats were never leased. “Silverstone and Rixo claim that no such contracts exist. They have had various business dealings, but no contract for transportation of goods using Daxin ships exists,” says Palmali official Alexander Denda. Palmali have submitted an objection to the Privatization Agency and the competent ministry over the matter, but it was rejected on the basis that the winner had supplied the ministry with a copy of the contract in question, certified at the First Belgrade District Court. “The copy of the contract has been certified by the court, which, as far as we’re concerned, means that copy and the original are the same,” says State Secretary for the Economy and Privatization Luka Andric. Meanwhile, Palmali claim that the original contract does not exist and seek an explanation as to why the commission did not ask for confirmation of authenticity from Silverstone and Rixo, but from the tender winners. The competent ministry has directed the Maltese company to the Supreme Court who could prove whether the contracts were forgeries. “We cannot now conduct an inquiry now and get into that, it’s simply not the ministry’s job. It’s a job for the court and we have nothing against Palmali, if they feel hard done by, taking the matter to court and proving this,” says Andric. Besides launching legal proceedings, Palmali have announced that they will also launch a criminal prosecution against hitherto unnamed individuals on charges of forgery of documentation. “If we’re completely and utterly satisfied that our evidence is valid, we will also launch criminal proceedings for forgery against the individuals who supported and encouraged this,” warned Denda. Milos and Marko Kremic, the winning consortium’s representatives, have refused to comment, while JRB’s CEO was absent yesterday. Tamoza-Daksin offered EUR 32.25mn for JRB, together with an investment of EUR 10mn. JRB is, in terms of size, the fourth largest along this stretch of the Danube. It owns 200 vessels, including 25 ships. The vessels have a total capacity of 250,000 tonnes.

Question marks raised over JRB tender

They say that copies of an agreement proving that the Tamoza-Daxin consortium from Singapore is a shipping company are forged.

Being active in the industry was one of the conditions of the tender.

According to the existing copies, Tamoza-Daksin leased ships from Swiss company Silverstone and Rixo for the purposes of the tender, while Palmali claim that the privatization should be stopped because the boats were never leased.

“Silverstone and Rixo claim that no such contracts exist. They have had various business dealings, but no contract for transportation of goods using Daxin ships exists,” says Palmali official Alexander Denda.

Palmali have submitted an objection to the Privatization Agency and the competent ministry over the matter, but it was rejected on the basis that the winner had supplied the ministry with a copy of the contract in question, certified at the First Belgrade District Court.

“The copy of the contract has been certified by the court, which, as far as we’re concerned, means that copy and the original are the same,” says State Secretary for the Economy and Privatization Luka Andrić.

Meanwhile, Palmali claim that the original contract does not exist and seek an explanation as to why the commission did not ask for confirmation of authenticity from Silverstone and Rixo, but from the tender winners.

The competent ministry has directed the Maltese company to the Supreme Court who could prove whether the contracts were forgeries.

“We cannot now conduct an inquiry now and get into that, it’s simply not the ministry’s job. It’s a job for the court and we have nothing against Palmali, if they feel hard done by, taking the matter to court and proving this,” says Andrić.

Besides launching legal proceedings, Palmali have announced that they will also launch a criminal prosecution against hitherto unnamed individuals on charges of forgery of documentation.

“If we’re completely and utterly satisfied that our evidence is valid, we will also launch criminal proceedings for forgery against the individuals who supported and encouraged this,” warned Denda.

Miloš and Marko Kremić, the winning consortium’s representatives, have refused to comment, while JRB’s CEO was absent yesterday.

Tamoza-Daksin offered EUR 32.25mn for JRB, together with an investment of EUR 10mn.

JRB is, in terms of size, the fourth largest along this stretch of the Danube. It owns 200 vessels, including 25 ships. The vessels have a total capacity of 250,000 tonnes.