Another delay in high profile corruption case

After three postponements, the trial in the so-called Suitcase Affair case was set to begin today before Belgrade’s District Court.

Izvor: Beta

Monday, 27.10.2008.

11:45

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After three postponements, the trial in the so-called Suitcase Affair case was set to begin today before Belgrade’s District Court. But key witnesses - Ivica Dacic and three Israeli businessmen - informed the court that he will not be able to testify this week. The judges then postponed the hearing for April 2009. Another delay in high profile corruption case Former National Bank of Serbia’s Vice-Governor Dejan Simic and the Socialist Party of Serbia’s official Vladan Zagradjanin are charged with taking bribes, and aiding in taking bribes, respectively. Prosecution alleges that EUR 100,000 changed hands in order for the Credit-Export Bank’s license to be reinstated. The trial was previously postponed because the court failed to secure key witnesses’ presence. They include Israeli nationals Shalom Spielman, Zev Hader and Vladimir Cizel, representatives of the TBI Group, which owns a majority stake in Credit-Export bank. The last delay occurred in April, when the Trial Chamber, presided by Judge Omer Hadziomerovic, accepted the Foreign Ministry’s motion to send summons to the Israeli witnesses six months before the next hearing. Socialist Party of Serbia’s Leader and now the Interior Minister Ivica Dacic, who left the vice-governor’s apartment minutes before the police raided it and arrested Simic and Zagradjanin, should take a witness stand during the trial. Simic and Zagradjanin were arrested on January 11, 2006, along with a suitcase with EUR 100,000. They were released from custody on March 30, 2006, to be indicted on June 13 that same year. After his release Simic, who was sacked from his job as a vice-governor, remained with the National Bank of Serbia until February 2, 2007. He was appointed governor’s advisor for the banking sector. The District Court scheduled the first hearing for October 1, 2007, but then postponed it for January 21, 2008. Since then it was delayed two more times – first for April 14, and then for October this year. Credit-Export Bank Director Sekula Pjevcevic, elsewhere indicted in the case of the so-called Insolvency Mafia, was also to testify. He claimed that the “bosses” of the National Bank of Serbia asked him for EUR 2mn so that his bank would be given back its license to operate. SPS official Aleksandar Nikacevic will also take a stand during the trial. The media reported him as saying that the affair had been “constructed” by Pjevcevic.

Another delay in high profile corruption case

Former National Bank of Serbia’s Vice-Governor Dejan Simić and the Socialist Party of Serbia’s official Vladan Zagrađanin are charged with taking bribes, and aiding in taking bribes, respectively.

Prosecution alleges that EUR 100,000 changed hands in order for the Credit-Export Bank’s license to be reinstated.

The trial was previously postponed because the court failed to secure key witnesses’ presence.

They include Israeli nationals Shalom Spielman, Zev Hader and Vladimir Cizel, representatives of the TBI Group, which owns a majority stake in Credit-Export bank.

The last delay occurred in April, when the Trial Chamber, presided by Judge Omer Hadžiomerović, accepted the Foreign Ministry’s motion to send summons to the Israeli witnesses six months before the next hearing.

Socialist Party of Serbia’s Leader and now the Interior Minister Ivica Dačić, who left the vice-governor’s apartment minutes before the police raided it and arrested Simić and Zagrađanin, should take a witness stand during the trial.

Simić and Zagrađanin were arrested on January 11, 2006, along with a suitcase with EUR 100,000.

They were released from custody on March 30, 2006, to be indicted on June 13 that same year.

After his release Simić, who was sacked from his job as a vice-governor, remained with the National Bank of Serbia until February 2, 2007. He was appointed governor’s advisor for the banking sector.

The District Court scheduled the first hearing for October 1, 2007, but then postponed it for January 21, 2008. Since then it was delayed two more times – first for April 14, and then for October this year.

Credit-Export Bank Director Sekula Pjevčević, elsewhere indicted in the case of the so-called Insolvency Mafia, was also to testify.

He claimed that the “bosses” of the National Bank of Serbia asked him for EUR 2mn so that his bank would be given back its license to operate.

SPS official Aleksandar Nikačević will also take a stand during the trial. The media reported him as saying that the affair had been “constructed” by Pjevčević.

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