Investigative program looks at Port controversy

The controversial ownership over Port of Belgrade's 200 hectares of land will be investigated in B92 TV's Insajder program due to air this evening. The problems over the land first surfaced in 2005 when the Port of Belgrade company was acquired by Luxembourg-based offshore company Worldfin. Investigative program looks at Port controversy Serbian tycoons Milan Beko and Miroslav Miskovic stood behind this purchase, realized through a takeover of shares owned by the port's workers and the state. Since then, the Belgrade Municipal Court has on three occasions registered the city as the owner, while the District Court overruled this twice, after appeals from the Port of Belgrade. It was with the state and city institutions' decisions that the city budget has potentially been robbed of more than EUR 2bn. Tonight's program will detail the controversy. The law says that land in Serbia, including that in the Port of Belgrade area, belongs to the Republic of Serbia, while other subjects have a right to use it. The dispute between the Port of Belgrade company and the city of Belgrade is over who has the right to use some 200 hectares of exclusive capital city locations. In the past year, the city has maintained that it would not give up on its most exclusive land in the port area, while at the same time, the actual size of the land mentioned has varied. The city was on various occasions been mentioned to have a right to the land "from zero to 220 hectares". Currently, Belgrade claims 117 hectares, and awaits to have "some 80 or 100, nobody knows", registered, our reporters found out. B92 TV spoke to Belgrade Mayor Dragan Djilas on the subject. Below is an excerpt of the conversation. B92: Do you know the price for one are (100 sq meters) of land in a similar location? Djilas: It depends on the price it reaches in an auction. For instance, it was about EUR 120,000 per are for the Dorcol Marina. B92: But that is the only relevant location that can compare to the Port of Belgrade land. Djilas: I agree with you completely, I don't see where we disagree… B92: We disagree in that, according to our calculations, authorities have made potential damages of EUR 2.5bn with their decisions since 2005. Djilas: I don’t know exactly, but I agree with you on everything. B92: Are you aware of the kind of construction work that can be done in the city with EUR 2.5bn? Djilas: I am. Our annual budget is EUR 500mn and a bit more. But, do not go charging the city of Belgrade for bad solutions on the Republic's level and for something we have only as a consequence.

Investigative program looks at Port controversy

Serbian tycoons Milan Beko and Miroslav Mišković stood behind this purchase, realized through a takeover of shares owned by the port's workers and the state.

Since then, the Belgrade Municipal Court has on three occasions registered the city as the owner, while the District Court overruled this twice, after appeals from the Port of Belgrade.

It was with the state and city institutions' decisions that the city budget has potentially been robbed of more than EUR 2bn. Tonight's program will detail the controversy.

The law says that land in Serbia, including that in the Port of Belgrade area, belongs to the Republic of Serbia, while other subjects have a right to use it.

The dispute between the Port of Belgrade company and the city of Belgrade is over who has the right to use some 200 hectares of exclusive capital city locations.

In the past year, the city has maintained that it would not give up on its most exclusive land in the port area, while at the same time, the actual size of the land mentioned has varied. The city was on various occasions been mentioned to have a right to the land "from zero to 220 hectares".

Currently, Belgrade claims 117 hectares, and awaits to have "some 80 or 100, nobody knows", registered, our reporters found out.

B92 TV spoke to Belgrade Mayor Dragan Đilas on the subject. Below is an excerpt of the conversation.

B92: Do you know the price for one are (100 sq meters) of land in a similar location?

Đilas: It depends on the price it reaches in an auction. For instance, it was about EUR 120,000 per are for the Dorćol Marina.

B92: But that is the only relevant location that can compare to the Port of Belgrade land.

Đilas: I agree with you completely, I don't see where we disagree…

B92: We disagree in that, according to our calculations, authorities have made potential damages of EUR 2.5bn with their decisions since 2005.

Đilas: I don’t know exactly, but I agree with you on everything.

B92: Are you aware of the kind of construction work that can be done in the city with EUR 2.5bn?

Đilas: I am. Our annual budget is EUR 500mn and a bit more. But, do not go charging the city of Belgrade for bad solutions on the Republic's level and for something we have only as a consequence.