"Anti-corruption push not aimed at parties"

BELGRADE Aleksandar Vucic says the arrests of officials of some parties as part of the fight against corruption are not aimed at those parties, but rather at criminals. "Azotara (artificial fertilizers plant) and Agrobanka are two examples of cases dealt with by the most serious experts and people, and they are working day and night on 24 cases, which have not been made up by us," the first deputy PM and leader of the ruling SNS party told a B92 TV talk show late on Sunday, and added: "Anti-corruption push not aimed at parties" "They are of vital interest for our country, since they include 15 big privatizations carried out in a bad way... There are four of five awfully important cases, huge ones, which already shook Serbia or are yet to do that, and they include political, economic and underworld establishment, if I may say so, and you will see how everything is linked." On Saturday, the police arrested, among others, CES Mecon owner Zvonimir Nikezic, former Azotara nitrogen plant Board of Directors President Radosav Vujacic and former PKB Corporation Director Milan Veljovic on suspicion of abuse of office in the Azotara case. Former Agriculture Minister Sasa Dragin (DS) was also among those detained. The first deputy prime minister dismissed allegations of "a selective approach" in the fight against corruption: "The fight is not aimed at the Democratic Party (DS), but rather at criminals, and the court will say whether we are right or not." Asked whether the fight targets the ruling Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), bearing in mind that Radoslav Vujacic is among the arrested, Vucic said that "he thinks" that Vujacic was "both in the SPS and in the public company Srbijagas". "Large companies are involved, big and powerful names, and it is obvious that political and financial structures that are ever present are also involved. Nikezic is a 'great expert', no privatization was carried out without him, and no bank was restructured without his interference. This man is in everything we tackle," Vucic said. When asked whether he will succeed in the fight against corruption, he said that he will fight fair and voiced belief that justice will prevail eventually. "It is very uncertain what the final outcome will be like in terms of personal and political fight. I now have more enemies in the political and personal sense than ever. I know that their response will be even fiercer and stronger, but I guarantee that I will sell my life dearly," Vucic said. This top government official also noted that an investigation was now in order into the wrongdoings related to the country's wheat trade: "We only just opened up (the case of) fertilizers, and after that, it's on to wheat." As for speculation that Delta Holding owner might also be investigated, Vucic stated that "there must be no untouchables" as the state combats corruption, but that he "would not prosecute Miskovic for political reasons". (B92) B92 Tanjug

"Anti-corruption push not aimed at parties"

"They are of vital interest for our country, since they include 15 big privatizations carried out in a bad way... There are four of five awfully important cases, huge ones, which already shook Serbia or are yet to do that, and they include political, economic and underworld establishment, if I may say so, and you will see how everything is linked."

On Saturday, the police arrested, among others, CES Mecon owner Zvonimir Nikezić, former Azotara nitrogen plant Board of Directors President Radosav Vujačić and former PKB Corporation Director Milan Veljović on suspicion of abuse of office in the Azotara case.

Former Agriculture Minister Saša Dragin (DS) was also among those detained.

The first deputy prime minister dismissed allegations of "a selective approach" in the fight against corruption:

"The fight is not aimed at the Democratic Party (DS), but rather at criminals, and the court will say whether we are right or not."

Asked whether the fight targets the ruling Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), bearing in mind that Radoslav Vujačić is among the arrested, Vučić said that "he thinks" that Vujačić was "both in the SPS and in the public company Srbijagas".

"Large companies are involved, big and powerful names, and it is obvious that political and financial structures that are ever present are also involved. Nikezić is a 'great expert', no privatization was carried out without him, and no bank was restructured without his interference. This man is in everything we tackle," Vučić said.

When asked whether he will succeed in the fight against corruption, he said that he will fight fair and voiced belief that justice will prevail eventually.

"It is very uncertain what the final outcome will be like in terms of personal and political fight. I now have more enemies in the political and personal sense than ever. I know that their response will be even fiercer and stronger, but I guarantee that I will sell my life dearly," Vučić said.

This top government official also noted that an investigation was now in order into the wrongdoings related to the country's wheat trade:

"We only just opened up (the case of) fertilizers, and after that, it's on to wheat."

As for speculation that Delta Holding owner might also be investigated, Vučić stated that "there must be no untouchables" as the state combats corruption, but that he "would not prosecute Mišković for political reasons".