President, ex-minister spar over winery sale

BELGRADE Tomislav Nikolic has accused former cabinet minister and URS party leader Mladjan Dinkic of being "responsible for the Vrsac Vineyards affair." Furthermore, the president noted on Tuesday, the affair itself was "fabricated." President, ex-minister spar over winery sale He explained that the controversy over the privatization of the company had been "invented" in order to undermine his visit to China, that took place in August. "We have somehow regulated this, delayed the resolution with the Chinese partner, but ask Mr. Dinkic - if he dares to speak ill of the resident of the Republic - who created the problem," Nikolic told reporters. He added that Dinkic "should be asked about who invented the decree allowing for the placing of three bids during a day, and to sell the same day for a third of the initial price." The president also suggested that the former finance and economy minister should be asked "who sold it (Vrsac Vinyards) to the Chinese partner, who gave all the elements for a contract, and why everything was kept secret" until two days before his trip to China - "so that those who put together the contract in the first place would not sign it." Nikolic was also quoted as saying that "the whole government knows" that there was a problem with the sale of the company to the Chinese buyer, and asked whether "a buyer who, perchance, came from a western country and not China, would also have been turned down": "I'm trying to create a good relationship with all the countries in the world and it is unpleasant when you have a partner from China, and the state says it will not sign what had been agreed. I wonder - if this was a partner from the west, would they be told the same thing?" The Serbian president then remarked that Dinkic should also provide answers "in front of some other organs" because of the state of the Serbian economy, and sent the former minister the message "to stay off his back." In late November, Mladjan Dinkic first said that Nikolic's cabinet had experted pressure for the Vrsacki Vinogradi winery (Vrsac Vinyards) to be sold to the Chinese consortium Guan Nan. Then the president's office responded by announcing that it was "the other way around" - that the pressure came from Dinkic's ministerial cabinet. Dinkic then "explained that the pressure was exerted by advisors to the president," and that this happened "on the eve of his visit to China." He also rejected accusations that his office was guilty in this context. "If that was a good contract, we would have signed it, but we've prevented its signing," Dinkic said of the privatization deal. After that, Economy Minister Sasa Radulovic said the procedure for the sale of Vrsac Vineyards to the Chinese was "shameful in illegal" and that "the primary responsibility lies with the Privatization Agency." The president of the Chinese consortium told a news conference that Vineyards was legally bought and asked the government to respect the law and sign the contract. In July, the Chinese won the third tender called to sell the winery, offering EUR 5.3 million as the sole bidder. The signing of the privatization contract was scheduled for August 5 but was postponed. Prime Minister Ivica Dacic commented on the controversy to say that he "does not know who is to blame for the situation," and to add that "the Chinese certainly are not." His first deputy, Aleksandar Vucic, announced in late September that the state would "determine who allowed the Chinese company to buy Vrsac Vineyards at a lower price than the real value." (Tanjug) B92 Tanjug

President, ex-minister spar over winery sale

He explained that the controversy over the privatization of the company had been "invented" in order to undermine his visit to China, that took place in August.

"We have somehow regulated this, delayed the resolution with the Chinese partner, but ask Mr. Dinkić - if he dares to speak ill of the resident of the Republic - who created the problem," Nikolić told reporters.

He added that Dinkić "should be asked about who invented the decree allowing for the placing of three bids during a day, and to sell the same day for a third of the initial price."

The president also suggested that the former finance and economy minister should be asked "who sold it (Vršac Vinyards) to the Chinese partner, who gave all the elements for a contract, and why everything was kept secret" until two days before his trip to China - "so that those who put together the contract in the first place would not sign it."

Nikolić was also quoted as saying that "the whole government knows" that there was a problem with the sale of the company to the Chinese buyer, and asked whether "a buyer who, perchance, came from a western country and not China, would also have been turned down":

"I'm trying to create a good relationship with all the countries in the world and it is unpleasant when you have a partner from China, and the state says it will not sign what had been agreed. I wonder - if this was a partner from the west, would they be told the same thing?"

The Serbian president then remarked that Dinkić should also provide answers "in front of some other organs" because of the state of the Serbian economy, and sent the former minister the message "to stay off his back."

In late November, Mlađan Dinkić first said that Nikolić's cabinet had experted pressure for the Vršački Vinogradi winery (Vršac Vinyards) to be sold to the Chinese consortium Guan Nan.

Then the president's office responded by announcing that it was "the other way around" - that the pressure came from Dinkić's ministerial cabinet.

Dinkić then "explained that the pressure was exerted by advisors to the president," and that this happened "on the eve of his visit to China." He also rejected accusations that his office was guilty in this context.

"If that was a good contract, we would have signed it, but we've prevented its signing," Dinkić said of the privatization deal.

After that, Economy Minister Saša Radulović said the procedure for the sale of Vršac Vineyards to the Chinese was "shameful in illegal" and that "the primary responsibility lies with the Privatization Agency."

The president of the Chinese consortium told a news conference that Vineyards was legally bought and asked the government to respect the law and sign the contract.

In July, the Chinese won the third tender called to sell the winery, offering EUR 5.3 million as the sole bidder. The signing of the privatization contract was scheduled for August 5 but was postponed.

Prime Minister Ivica Dačić commented on the controversy to say that he "does not know who is to blame for the situation," and to add that "the Chinese certainly are not."

His first deputy, Aleksandar Vučić, announced in late September that the state would "determine who allowed the Chinese company to buy Vršac Vineyards at a lower price than the real value."