Ex-health minister "received false informaiton"

Justice Minister Snezana Malovic says the arrest of the former RZZO head was one of the first concrete results of the coordinated fight against corruption. Svetlana Vukajlovic, who headed the the National Health Insurance Fund (RZZO), and two other persons were arrested on Monday on suspicion that they abused office and state budget during the 2009 procurement of vaccines against swine flu. Ex-health minister "received false informaiton" Malovic, who is also coordinator of state authorities in the fight against corruption, said in a statement to the Tanjug news agency that the investigation will determine why and with what intention Vukajlovic gave false information to former Health minister Tomica Milosavljevic regarding the purchase of new flu vaccines, and whether he knew that. During pretrial proceedings it was determined that certain information that the former minister of health made public were the information that he received from Vukajlovic, the minister confirmed. The minister noted that the details of the case cannot be made public because they are the responsibility of police and prosecutors. During this procedure, there was active cooperation with the Department for Combating Organized Crime with the Prosecution for fight against organized crime, as well as with the Ministry of Finance, the Treasury and the Office for the Prevention of Money Laundering, Tax Administration and the General Secretariat of the government, she specified. This is one of the first cases, and we will continue so it becomes evident that the motto "no one is protected" is not just a phrase, said Malovic. Serbia's Organized Crime Prosecutor Miljko Radisavljevic told Tanjug Tuesday Svetlana Vukajlovic and her associates were charged with abuse of official position and damaging the budget of the Republic of Serbia by about EUR 1.27mn. The alleged abuse of power took place during a purchase of swine flu vaccines for the needs of the Serbian population in November 2009. In November 2009, Vukajlovic decided to choose Jugohemija-Farmacija as the company offering the best deal, even though it failed to meet the necessary requirements. Jugohemija-Farmacija Director Vladimir Gravara and owner of the wholesale and retail company Detap from Valjevo Ljubomir Pavicevic were also arrested over charges of involvement in the vaccine case, the prosecutor said. Jugohemija did not meet the conditions to be chosen as the best bidder, because the company was neither the producer nor an authorized distributor of Novartis vaccines and no invitation to tender for the supply of the flu vaccines had been sent, so that, in accordance with the Public Procurement Law, the vaccine delivery tender could not be awarded to the company. As intermediaries in the procurement of vaccines, Jugohemija-Farmacija and Detap obtained gain of EUR 855,600 and 420,000 (around RSD 15mn in total) respectively, damaging the budget of the Republic of Serbia by the amount of about EUR 1.27mn. After the expiry of the 48-hour detention in police custody the suspects will be brought before an investigative judge of the Special Department of the High Court in Belgrade. According to the charges to which Tanjug had access, Vukajlovic gave to Milosavljevic inaccurate information in connection with the procurement of new flu vaccine. After the Serbian government decided on January 20, 2010, to stop any further procurement of vaccines, Vukajlovic accepted on January 27 the delivery of 395,000 doses of vaccine more. In order to conceal the truth, Vukajlovic told Milosavljevic that the total quantity of doses was 862,108 for which the government had to approve payment. Vukajlovic resigned in September 2010 and then worked at a private clinic Jedro, which she left in late August this year. In the beginning of August, several persons, among whom were Vukajlovic and Milosavljevic were questioned on fraud allegations. Snezana Malovic (file)

Ex-health minister "received false informaiton"

Malović, who is also coordinator of state authorities in the fight against corruption, said in a statement to the Tanjug news agency that the investigation will determine why and with what intention Vukajlović gave false information to former Health minister Tomica Milosavljević regarding the purchase of new flu vaccines, and whether he knew that.

During pretrial proceedings it was determined that certain information that the former minister of health made public were the information that he received from Vukajlović, the minister confirmed.

The minister noted that the details of the case cannot be made public because they are the responsibility of police and prosecutors.

During this procedure, there was active cooperation with the Department for Combating Organized Crime with the Prosecution for fight against organized crime, as well as with the Ministry of Finance, the Treasury and the Office for the Prevention of Money Laundering, Tax Administration and the General Secretariat of the government, she specified.

This is one of the first cases, and we will continue so it becomes evident that the motto "no one is protected" is not just a phrase, said Malović.

Serbia's Organized Crime Prosecutor Miljko Radisavljevič told Tanjug Tuesday Svetlana Vukajlović and her associates were charged with abuse of official position and damaging the budget of the Republic of Serbia by about EUR 1.27mn.

The alleged abuse of power took place during a purchase of swine flu vaccines for the needs of the Serbian population in November 2009.

In November 2009, Vukajlović decided to choose Jugohemija-Farmacija as the company offering the best deal, even though it failed to meet the necessary requirements.

Jugohemija-Farmacija Director Vladimir Gravara and owner of the wholesale and retail company Detap from Valjevo Ljubomir Pavičević were also arrested over charges of involvement in the vaccine case, the prosecutor said.

Jugohemija did not meet the conditions to be chosen as the best bidder, because the company was neither the producer nor an authorized distributor of Novartis vaccines and no invitation to tender for the supply of the flu vaccines had been sent, so that, in accordance with the Public Procurement Law, the vaccine delivery tender could not be awarded to the company.

As intermediaries in the procurement of vaccines, Jugohemija-Farmacija and Detap obtained gain of EUR 855,600 and 420,000 (around RSD 15mn in total) respectively, damaging the budget of the Republic of Serbia by the amount of about EUR 1.27mn.

After the expiry of the 48-hour detention in police custody the suspects will be brought before an investigative judge of the Special Department of the High Court in Belgrade.

According to the charges to which Tanjug had access, Vukajlović gave to Milosavljević inaccurate information in connection with the procurement of new flu vaccine.

After the Serbian government decided on January 20, 2010, to stop any further procurement of vaccines, Vukajlović accepted on January 27 the delivery of 395,000 doses of vaccine more.

In order to conceal the truth, Vukajlović told Milosavljević that the total quantity of doses was 862,108 for which the government had to approve payment.

Vukajlović resigned in September 2010 and then worked at a private clinic Jedro, which she left in late August this year.

In the beginning of August, several persons, among whom were Vukajlović and Milosavljević were questioned on fraud allegations.