Dinkić questioned by police in connection with privatization

BELGRADE B92 has learned that former minister and leader of the URS Mladjan Dinkic was questioned by the police in connection with the Nacionalna Stedionica abuses. Dinkic was summoned as a citizen. Dinkic questioned by police in connection with privatization B92's Insider in 2007 looked into the issues relating to the privatization of the Nacionalna Stedionica (National Savings Bank). The Anti-Corruption Council of Verica Barac also pointed to the disputed matters in connection with this sale. The privatization is also on the list of 24 controversial privatizations put together by the EU and given to the government of Serbia in 2011. Dinkic told the Informer tabloid on Monday that he "could not wait" to be questioned. "It is time to finally reject all the lies that my political opponents placed in the media about me in this regard. Nacionalna Stedionca was one of the best government projects, where Serbia earned seven times more than it invested," he said. According to the Council's report in 2004, the controversy in the case stems from the fact this private bank was created with significant help from the state. It was given the branches of the then payment service, SDK, whose workers were paid by the state for another year. The bank was also given the job of paying back the so-called "old foreign currency savings" - after four major banks were shut down, the state decided to establish a new bank that will pay the EUR 4.2 billion converted to bonds. Initially, the state was the majority owner with 60 percent, but its share gradually fell as private shareholders carried out several added capitalizations. In 2005 EFG Eurobank Group had 62.3 percent. In 2006, EFG bought out the remaining 37.7 percent owned by the state. Mladjan Dinkic (Beta, file) B92

Dinkić questioned by police in connection with privatization

B92's Insider in 2007 looked into the issues relating to the privatization of the Nacionalna Štedionica (National Savings Bank).

The Anti-Corruption Council of Verica Barać also pointed to the disputed matters in connection with this sale. The privatization is also on the list of 24 controversial privatizations put together by the EU and given to the government of Serbia in 2011.

Dinkić told the Informer tabloid on Monday that he "could not wait" to be questioned. "It is time to finally reject all the lies that my political opponents placed in the media about me in this regard. Nacionalna Štedionca was one of the best government projects, where Serbia earned seven times more than it invested," he said.

According to the Council's report in 2004, the controversy in the case stems from the fact this private bank was created with significant help from the state. It was given the branches of the then payment service, SDK, whose workers were paid by the state for another year.

The bank was also given the job of paying back the so-called "old foreign currency savings" - after four major banks were shut down, the state decided to establish a new bank that will pay the EUR 4.2 billion converted to bonds.

Initially, the state was the majority owner with 60 percent, but its share gradually fell as private shareholders carried out several added capitalizations. In 2005 EFG Eurobank Group had 62.3 percent. In 2006, EFG bought out the remaining 37.7 percent owned by the state.