Former executives arrested over illegal land sale

The MUP confirmed the arrests of several former directors of the Agricultural-Industrial Company (PIK) Zemun They are suspected of abusing their position and illegally misappropriating land belonging to the company, totaling some 300 hectares. Former executives arrested over illegal land sale Those arrested include Chairman of the Board Lazar Ruzicic, former directors Milorad Djokic and Rajko Mandic, current Head of the Internal Sanitary Inspection Department in the Agriculture Ministry Dejan Kranjcevic, Jakovo Silos owner Djordje Bozic, and expert witness Petar Muncan. The land is situated right next to the Belgrade-Novi Sad motorway, where the Belgrade bypass is currently under construction. The Special Prosecution announced that it had still not received the case file on the matter. PIK Zemun employees, 140 altogether, have been on a general strike for the last two years, since the government introduced temporary measures at the company, after the directors had obstructed the privatization process. The previous board’s attempts to implement a program for the construction of 5000 flats for its workforce covering 100 hectares of communal land were thwarted because the company was still undergoing privatization. A dispute arose when, in view of the fact that the majority of employees’ housing status was still unresolved, the former board of directors began the aforesaid construction with the help of the U.S. company Group Impact, but without having received prior permission from the Privatization Agency. As soon as it heard that a deal had been signed, the Agency demanded the contract be invalidated, explaining that the building work breached the Law on Companies, that stipulates that companies undergoing privatization must consult the Privatization Agency on all decisions. Following the arrest of the former administration, PIK Zemun strike leader Rade Grujic announced that certain employees viewed the arrest of former director Dejan Kranjcevic as unjustified. Grujic, president of the PIK Zemun Free Syndicate representing 140 workers, reiterated that it had been Kranjcevic who, together with other employees, had brought various charges of fraud linked to the company. “Those were all genuine criminal charges of fraud and embezzlement against tycoons in this country, so I don’t see why he has been arrested,” he said, stressing that Kranjcevic had supported the strikers and their demands for an adequate pension plan. Grujic underlined that PIK Zemun did not own the 300 hectares of land next to the Belgrade-Novi Sad motorway that the company directors have been accused of misappropriating. We had 33 hectares around there, and that was sold before Kranjcevic was even appointed,” he explained.

Former executives arrested over illegal land sale

Those arrested include Chairman of the Board Lazar Ružičić, former directors Milorad Đokić and Rajko Mandić, current Head of the Internal Sanitary Inspection Department in the Agriculture Ministry Dejan Kranjčević, Jakovo Silos owner Đorđe Božić, and expert witness Petar Munćan.

The land is situated right next to the Belgrade-Novi Sad motorway, where the Belgrade bypass is currently under construction. The Special Prosecution announced that it had still not received the case file on the matter.

PIK Zemun employees, 140 altogether, have been on a general strike for the last two years, since the government introduced temporary measures at the company, after the directors had obstructed the privatization process.

The previous board’s attempts to implement a program for the construction of 5000 flats for its workforce covering 100 hectares of communal land were thwarted because the company was still undergoing privatization.

A dispute arose when, in view of the fact that the majority of employees’ housing status was still unresolved, the former board of directors began the aforesaid construction with the help of the U.S. company Group Impact, but without having received prior permission from the Privatization Agency.

As soon as it heard that a deal had been signed, the Agency demanded the contract be invalidated, explaining that the building work breached the Law on Companies, that stipulates that companies undergoing privatization must consult the Privatization Agency on all decisions.

Following the arrest of the former administration, PIK Zemun strike leader Rade Grujić announced that certain employees viewed the arrest of former director Dejan Kranjčević as unjustified.

Grujić, president of the PIK Zemun Free Syndicate representing 140 workers, reiterated that it had been Kranjčević who, together with other employees, had brought various charges of fraud linked to the company.

“Those were all genuine criminal charges of fraud and embezzlement against tycoons in this country, so I don’t see why he has been arrested,” he said, stressing that Kranjčević had supported the strikers and their demands for an adequate pension plan.

Grujić underlined that PIK Zemun did not own the 300 hectares of land next to the Belgrade-Novi Sad motorway that the company directors have been accused of misappropriating. We had 33 hectares around there, and that was sold before Kranjčević was even appointed,” he explained.