IM: Death of ex-Oncology Institute head was suicide

BELGRADE -- The family of former director of the Serbian Institute of Oncology and Radiology Nenad Borojević "still does not believe that he had taken his own life".

A file photo of Nenad Borojević

This is despite a statement on Thursday by Interior Minister Ivica Dačić, who said that "the first analysis point to suicide".

Borojević was found dead, hanging from a tree in a forest-park in Belgrade.

Marko Kastratović, one of Borojević's lawyers, told Tanjug on Thursday that the family had not yet received a police report about his death, or a report by the investigating judge and they did not believe he had killed himself.

“Everything is still open to doubt, and there also are some new circumstances that I cannot speak about at the moment, because it rests with the family to decide. They will decide whether and when to disclose the information to the public,” said Kastratović.

Dačić said earlier today that the investigation into the Borojević's death in Košutnjak was underway and that the body had been sent for autopsy, but the first analysis indicated that he had committed suicide.

However, while the criminal proceedings against Borojević have now been annulled, the proceedings concerning forfeiture of property suspected to have been acquired through criminal acts will be continued against his successors.

Before his death, Borojević was on trial before the Belgrade special court, on charges of unlawfully acquiring RSD 11.2mn through malpractices in connection with procurement of cancer treatment drugs.

He was granted provisional release pending trial with the prohibition of leaving Belgrade and was wearing electronic bracelets by way of which his movements were monitored.

The Prosecutor's Office for Organized Crime charged Borojević and another eight defendants with making illegal arrangements with officials of pharmaceutical companies concerning getting information about the consumption of cytostatics and the relevant public procurement procedures in advance.