Anti-Corruption Council chief reacts

The claim that the purchase of the Port of Belgrade company was completely legal is not true, said Verica Barac, the president of the Anti-Corruption Council. The president of the Anti-Corruption Council spoke for B92 in Belgrade on Monday in response to statements made by Milan Beko on Sunday. Anti-Corruption Council chief reacts Barac said that none of what Milan Beko had said in his interview for B92 concerning the Port of Belgrade was true. Barac added that the case was a “prime example of the connection between the executive power and tycoons.“ “None of what Beko said concerning the Port of Belgrade Harbour was true. I concluded that based on relevant documents. Those are all business speculations, and this case is a prime example of the connection between the executive power and tycoons,“ said Barac. She added that Milan Beko bought the company "with intentions common to all other tycoons and speculators so as to shut it down and sell the land“. "The general urban plan from 2003, which should have been valid for the next 20 years, confirmed that the Port will remain where it is today, and that its land will increase by 10 hectares. When Beko and (Delta Holding owner Miroslav) Miskovic bought the company, the general plan was immediately changed. That was possible only via colluding,“ said Barac. According to her, nobody in the country could buy the Port of Belgrade land below its price, while "the basic problem with that sale had been created by state institutions". “The state had to be careful to whom they sold the Port of Belgrade, and they had to prevent dirty money from still behaving dirty. The state must be careful not to let dirty money enter legal channels. It is also responsible for deceiving small shareholders,“ Barac pointed out. She added that Port of Belgrade was now "to all intents and purporses out of business", while it was once a debt-free company until the new owners came and immediately said that they had no interest in the port business, but rather in the building land itself. Verica Barac (Beta) "Power of Milosevic era money" “That’s the economical concept which caused the economy to crash. That concept is allowed and it is related to the funding of political parties. I understand it as their collusion. Now the state cannot ask to get back what was allowed to be done illegally,“ stated Verica Barac. She added that the government had the same advisers who had been present during the Milosevic regime, and that they were a proof that there was "continuity with the Milosevic era". “Businessmen, consulting houses, … Those were also the pillars of the Milosevic regime, and their power stems from dirty money they acquired during the time Milosevic ruled,“ said Barac. She also stated that the Serbian president Boris Tadic had an obligation to tell the people of Serbia how it was possible that a businessman like Milan Beko could tell him "what he must do". “The president, like all the others we elected, is under obligation to give answers to us, about why Beko can call on him and tell Tadic what he should do,“ said Barac. Yesterday, Beko invited Tadic to explain what his call to tycoons to give a part of their wealth back to Serbia actually meant, "because the business circles considered it to be a warning and a possible announcement of charging of extra profits".

Anti-Corruption Council chief reacts

Barać said that none of what Milan Beko had said in his interview for B92 concerning the Port of Belgrade was true.

Barać added that the case was a “prime example of the connection between the executive power and tycoons.“

“None of what Beko said concerning the Port of Belgrade Harbour was true. I concluded that based on relevant documents. Those are all business speculations, and this case is a prime example of the connection between the executive power and tycoons,“ said Barać.

She added that Milan Beko bought the company "with intentions common to all other tycoons and speculators so as to shut it down and sell the land“.

"The general urban plan from 2003, which should have been valid for the next 20 years, confirmed that the Port will remain where it is today, and that its land will increase by 10 hectares. When Beko and (Delta Holding owner Miroslav) Mišković bought the company, the general plan was immediately changed. That was possible only via colluding,“ said Barać.

According to her, nobody in the country could buy the Port of Belgrade land below its price, while "the basic problem with that sale had been created by state institutions".

“The state had to be careful to whom they sold the Port of Belgrade, and they had to prevent dirty money from still behaving dirty. The state must be careful not to let dirty money enter legal channels. It is also responsible for deceiving small shareholders,“ Barać pointed out.

She added that Port of Belgrade was now "to all intents and purporses out of business", while it was once a debt-free company until the new owners came and immediately said that they had no interest in the port business, but rather in the building land itself.

"Power of Milošević era money"

“That’s the economical concept which caused the economy to crash. That concept is allowed and it is related to the funding of political parties. I understand it as their collusion. Now the state cannot ask to get back what was allowed to be done illegally,“ stated Verica Barać.

She added that the government had the same advisers who had been present during the Milošević regime, and that they were a proof that there was "continuity with the Milošević era".

“Businessmen, consulting houses, … Those were also the pillars of the Milošević regime, and their power stems from dirty money they acquired during the time Milošević ruled,“ said Barać.

She also stated that the Serbian president Boris Tadić had an obligation to tell the people of Serbia how it was possible that a businessman like Milan Beko could tell him "what he must do".

“The president, like all the others we elected, is under obligation to give answers to us, about why Beko can call on him and tell Tadić what he should do,“ said Barać.

Yesterday, Beko invited Tadić to explain what his call to tycoons to give a part of their wealth back to Serbia actually meant, "because the business circles considered it to be a warning and a possible announcement of charging of extra profits".