Airport director released pending trial

Airport director released pending trial

The telegraf.rs website is reporting that Radisavljević has been prohibited from making contact with witnesses in the case, who are yet to be questioned.

According to unofficial information quoted by the media outlet, the Belgrade airport director denied the charges and said he did not allow Hungary's low cost airline Wizz Air preferential treatment, and noted that the company "contributed significantly to the increase of traffic at the airport."

Radisavljević also fell ill after the questioning, so an ambulance was called to the Palace of Justice.

The police announced earlier that he was suspected of granting a 20 percent discount in 2010 on passenger duties to Wizz Air, although this type of incentive was only introduced by the government in late 2013, and only if companies fulfilled the criteria - "which Wizz Air did not."

The Hungarian company reacted earlier this week to reject the accusations as baseless, saying that the Air Serbia carrier wished to establish a monopoly, and had the protection of the government.

"Normal"

Belgrade's Nikola Tesla Airport is operating normally following the arrest of Director General Velimir Radosavljević and there are absolutely no problems, Serbia's Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Zorana Mihajlović has said.

The Nikola Tesla Airport is operating normally, it has its assembly and the supervisory board, Mihajlović told Večernje Novosti on Friday, noting that the airport "has the state's support."

The Belgrade airport had nearly half a million passengers last month - 30 percent more than in June last year, she said.

"The airport has a way it should go, and we will also hold discussions with potential strategic partners on how to improve operation. The airport can really become a regional hub, which is the plan and objective of the Serbian government," Mihajlović said.