Delta owner "admitted to bankrolling politicians"

BELGRADE The head of a working group set up to examine privatizations says that Miroslav Miskovic stated during his hearing that he "gave money to some politicians". However, the Delta Holding owner, currently held in 30-day custody, "did not name them", according to Bogdan Pusic. Delta owner "admitted to bankrolling politicians" "'I was good when I was giving money. I gave money to everyone,' he told us, and when asked to whom, told us: 'I will say when the time comes'," Pusic said during B92 TV's talk show Impression of the Week, broadcast live late on Sunday. This official added that there was "some information that some ministers received money from Miskovic", but that considering that a preliminary investigation was ongoing, "these claims are still being investigated". Miskovic's lawyer Zdenko Tomanovic also took part in the program to say that everything that his client did was "in accordance with our laws and is allowed everywhere in the world". "I have carefully looked at all the documents that were submitted to the defense, and I can assure you that Miroslav Miskovic did not commit any crime. What he has been accused of is not a crime anywhere in the world," Tomanovic added. But Pusic rejected this and said that the proceedings against Miskovic were being conducted according to the rules of criminal investigations and that the organized crime prosecutor had looked at all the evidence collected, material and financial, as well as "testimonies of citizens", when he evaluated "who will within that factual state be accused", after which he gave the order to bring in Miskovic, his son, and several other suspects. Pusic added that the prosecutor was consulted about the intention of the police to investigate persons as suspects, but they did not receive approval for this. "We got the approval for 48-hour detention, after which the suspects were detained for questioning at the prosecution of organized crime," he explained. Pusic also addressed the threats that Miskovic allegedly made as he was being arrested, to explain that Miskovic at the time told operatives of the Criminal Investigations Police that he was previously "told that he would not be arrested". "Who promised him that I do not know. He told the operatives that (Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar) Vucic was free to cancel his appearance (on the RTS on the day of the arrest) because he (Miskovic) would not be arrested. Miskovic said it in the context that Vucic was supposed to appear on the show," he said. Pusic explained that the son of the Delta Holding owner Marko Miskovic was last week stopped at the Belgrade airport after the police consulted with the organized crime prosecutor, and acted on his orders to confiscate Miskovic's passport. However, Pusic would not say whether Marko Miskovic was told that he could not leave the country before being stopped at the airport. Lawyer Tomanovic said that Miskovic phoned him ahead of the arrest: "I am shocked by these claims that Miskovic said Vucic would not get to go to the RTS. That's not true. During the arrest one of the lawyers was with him. He called me around 07:10 and told me to come as soon as possible. Whether he was shocked - I do not know. I spoke with him about these media reports." "Only one thing could have surprised him - up to that point he had cooperated with the authorities, responded to every summons by the police and there was no reason for the police to arrive, accompanied by cameras. Miskovic knew that what he was doing was not prohibited by our law and is allowed everywhere in the world," Tomanovic reiterated. Economic analyst Aleksandar Stevanovic also took part in the program to say that "now everything depends on the validity of the evidence gathered by the police". Vladimir Radomirovic, editor-in-chief of the whistle-blowing website Pistaljka, said that the state had demonstrated that it could arrest "even the richest man in the country". He added that Miskovic "controlled all of the country, including the media, for a long time, and bribed some politicians". "Let me remind you that in 2008 Miskovic had the crucial influence on the formation of the government. Then U.S. Ambassador Cameron Munter removed him from the U.S. 'black list'. That shows the influence that Miskovic had. What happened was a great shock to him. I'm afraid that he will have been arrested, only to later be released from custody," Radomirovic said, and recalled that "we still do not know exactly what he is charged for". Tomanovic then stated that Miskovic was "charged with making financial investments", and reiterated that his client "did not commit any crime". "Every transaction was made in compliance with the state, the competent authority. What he has been charged for is not a crime anywhere in the world, I do not know why it is here," he said. According to the lawyer, Miskovic is being held responsible "for something that is the point of any business - to buy shares at a lower price and sell them at a higher". According to Tomanovic, neither his client nor his son Marko - who was also arrested on Wednesday - managed the companies or had their funds at their disposal - "they only owned the shares". He also made a point of saying that "little Marko made even fewer decisions than his father". The lawyer referred to Nibens Group co-owner Milo Djuraskovic as "the Nibens company manager", and said this was something that Djuraskovic, arrested along with Miskovic, "himself did not deny": "He managed the company and its funds. The Miskovics were not managerial persons and they did not have the assets at their disposal," Tomanovic asserted. But Pusic reacted by saying that this was "not true", and that based on the evidence gathered by the working group the prosecutor for organized crime assessed that an investigation should be carried out against them. He stressed that Djuraskovic, although in a managerial position, was submitting monthly reports to Miskovic on the company's business. Miroslav Miskovic (Beta, file) B92

Delta owner "admitted to bankrolling politicians"

"'I was good when I was giving money. I gave money to everyone,' he told us, and when asked to whom, told us: 'I will say when the time comes'," Pušić said during B92 TV's talk show Impression of the Week, broadcast live late on Sunday.

This official added that there was "some information that some ministers received money from Mišković", but that considering that a preliminary investigation was ongoing, "these claims are still being investigated".

Mišković's lawyer Zdenko Tomanović also took part in the program to say that everything that his client did was "in accordance with our laws and is allowed everywhere in the world".

"I have carefully looked at all the documents that were submitted to the defense, and I can assure you that Miroslav Mišković did not commit any crime. What he has been accused of is not a crime anywhere in the world," Tomanović added.

But Pušić rejected this and said that the proceedings against Mišković were being conducted according to the rules of criminal investigations and that the organized crime prosecutor had looked at all the evidence collected, material and financial, as well as "testimonies of citizens", when he evaluated "who will within that factual state be accused", after which he gave the order to bring in Mišković, his son, and several other suspects.

Pušić added that the prosecutor was consulted about the intention of the police to investigate persons as suspects, but they did not receive approval for this.

"We got the approval for 48-hour detention, after which the suspects were detained for questioning at the prosecution of organized crime," he explained.

Pušić also addressed the threats that Mišković allegedly made as he was being arrested, to explain that Mišković at the time told operatives of the Criminal Investigations Police that he was previously "told that he would not be arrested".

"Who promised him that I do not know. He told the operatives that (Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar) Vučić was free to cancel his appearance (on the RTS on the day of the arrest) because he (Mišković) would not be arrested. Mišković said it in the context that Vučić was supposed to appear on the show," he said.

Pušić explained that the son of the Delta Holding owner Marko Mišković was last week stopped at the Belgrade airport after the police consulted with the organized crime prosecutor, and acted on his orders to confiscate Mišković's passport. However, Pušić would not say whether Marko Mišković was told that he could not leave the country before being stopped at the airport.

Lawyer Tomanović said that Mišković phoned him ahead of the arrest:

"I am shocked by these claims that Mišković said Vučić would not get to go to the RTS. That's not true. During the arrest one of the lawyers was with him. He called me around 07:10 and told me to come as soon as possible. Whether he was shocked - I do not know. I spoke with him about these media reports."

"Only one thing could have surprised him - up to that point he had cooperated with the authorities, responded to every summons by the police and there was no reason for the police to arrive, accompanied by cameras. Mišković knew that what he was doing was not prohibited by our law and is allowed everywhere in the world," Tomanović reiterated.

Economic analyst Aleksandar Stevanović also took part in the program to say that "now everything depends on the validity of the evidence gathered by the police".

Vladimir Radomirović, editor-in-chief of the whistle-blowing website Pištaljka, said that the state had demonstrated that it could arrest "even the richest man in the country". He added that Mišković "controlled all of the country, including the media, for a long time, and bribed some politicians".

"Let me remind you that in 2008 Mišković had the crucial influence on the formation of the government. Then U.S. Ambassador Cameron Munter removed him from the U.S. 'black list'. That shows the influence that Mišković had. What happened was a great shock to him. I'm afraid that he will have been arrested, only to later be released from custody," Radomirović said, and recalled that "we still do not know exactly what he is charged for".

Tomanović then stated that Mišković was "charged with making financial investments", and reiterated that his client "did not commit any crime".

"Every transaction was made in compliance with the state, the competent authority. What he has been charged for is not a crime anywhere in the world, I do not know why it is here," he said.

According to the lawyer, Mišković is being held responsible "for something that is the point of any business - to buy shares at a lower price and sell them at a higher".

According to Tomanović, neither his client nor his son Marko - who was also arrested on Wednesday - managed the companies or had their funds at their disposal - "they only owned the shares". He also made a point of saying that "little Marko made even fewer decisions than his father".

The lawyer referred to Nibens Group co-owner Milo Đurašković as "the Nibens company manager", and said this was something that Đurašković, arrested along with Mišković, "himself did not deny":

"He managed the company and its funds. The Miškovićs were not managerial persons and they did not have the assets at their disposal," Tomanović asserted.

But Pušić reacted by saying that this was "not true", and that based on the evidence gathered by the working group the prosecutor for organized crime assessed that an investigation should be carried out against them.

He stressed that Đurašković, although in a managerial position, was submitting monthly reports to Mišković on the company's business.