Extent of Daimler scandal in Serbia unclear

Interior Minister Ivica Dacic stated that Serbian police (MUP) did not receive any official letter from Germany regarding their investigation against Daimler. “I have given an order to contact German police and find out what exactly this is about, because it concerns the period between 1998 and 2008,” the interior minister said. Extent of Daimler scandal in Serbia unclear He pointed out that in Serbia, as early as in 2004 the Organized Crime Directorate filed criminal charges against several persons regarding the ownership transformation of Mercedes’ company in Serbia – Inex Interexport. “Unfortunately, the investigation about that was conducted in prosecutions, and it is still being conducted, and if there are some other indications, we will investigate them immediately. So far we have not been informed to whom Daimler’s admission refers to, because when it comes to Serbia, there are no concrete statements,” he said. The government, meanwhile, claims it never purchased Mercedes vehicles. Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic said that there are no Mercedeses in the government car pool. “This is probably from some previous period, but regardless, if it is not obsolete, then we will react if we get information on the subject,” the PM said and added that there was a possibility that some public enterprises had been buying Daimler vehicles. German auto manufacturer Daimler will pay USD 185mn in fines as part of a settlement for breaking U.S. bribery laws, according to news agencies citing sources familiar with the case. Prosecutors also uncovered corruption in China, Russia, Turkey, Hungary, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Egypt, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Thailand, Vietnam, Uzbekistan and Indonesia. U.S. prosecutors say they and their subsidies paid tens of millions in bribes to secure government contracts around the world. But a report released on Tuesday by the United States Department of Justice said German automaker Daimler engaged in a "longstanding practice of paying bribes" to foreign officials in order to win government contracts between 1998 and 2008.

Extent of Daimler scandal in Serbia unclear

He pointed out that in Serbia, as early as in 2004 the Organized Crime Directorate filed criminal charges against several persons regarding the ownership transformation of Mercedes’ company in Serbia – Inex Interexport.

“Unfortunately, the investigation about that was conducted in prosecutions, and it is still being conducted, and if there are some other indications, we will investigate them immediately. So far we have not been informed to whom Daimler’s admission refers to, because when it comes to Serbia, there are no concrete statements,” he said.

The government, meanwhile, claims it never purchased Mercedes vehicles. Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković said that there are no Mercedeses in the government car pool.

“This is probably from some previous period, but regardless, if it is not obsolete, then we will react if we get information on the subject,” the PM said and added that there was a possibility that some public enterprises had been buying Daimler vehicles.

German auto manufacturer Daimler will pay USD 185mn in fines as part of a settlement for breaking U.S. bribery laws, according to news agencies citing sources familiar with the case.

Prosecutors also uncovered corruption in China, Russia, Turkey, Hungary, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Egypt, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Thailand, Vietnam, Uzbekistan and Indonesia.

U.S. prosecutors say they and their subsidies paid tens of millions in bribes to secure government contracts around the world.

But a report released on Tuesday by the United States Department of Justice said German automaker Daimler engaged in a "longstanding practice of paying bribes" to foreign officials in order to win government contracts between 1998 and 2008.