Media scrutinize ministers' share in companies

A Belgrade newspaper has revealed that Serbia's PM and five of his ministers have not renounced their ownership stake in various companies. Beside Premier Mirko Cvetkovic, they are Oliver Dulic, Diana Dragutinovic, Jasna Matic, Bozidar Djelic, and Slobodan Milosavljevic, writes Belgrade's Vecernje Novosti daily. Media scrutinize ministers' share in companies Those state officials who own private companies are under obligation to notify the Anti-Corruption Agency about each business deal they make with budget end-users. But since the beginning of the year, when the law was introduced, no such notification has been registered. Dulic, whose company DG Komp made a deal to sell computer equipment to around 70 budget users in Vojvodina, did not notify the Agency. However, Agency's officials told the newspaper that "Minister Dulic had contacted them in the meantime" and was "preparing detailed documentation about all deals signed by his company with the local government in Subotica and other users of the state budget". This appears to have come after a website setup in the hope of facilitating whistleblowing reports - pistaljka.rs - made Dulic's private business dealings public last week. The article today suggests that even if Dulic sees to his obligations now, "it would be a late implementation of the Anti-Corruption Agency Law". The law says that state officials who own stakes in companies larger than 20 percent, and sign deals with the state, must notify the Agency three days before contracts are signed. With that mechanism, the Agency hopes to controls whether politicians used their influence to benefit their business, and whether the arrangements were legal. But apart from Dulic, the law does not apply to other members of the government since their stakes in various companies stand at less than 20 percent. Only Bozidar Djelic is the sole owner of his private company - but it operates in the Netherlands and has no activities in Serbia, according to the daily. Oliver Dulic (R) is seen in Belgrade today (Tanjug)

Media scrutinize ministers' share in companies

Those state officials who own private companies are under obligation to notify the Anti-Corruption Agency about each business deal they make with budget end-users.

But since the beginning of the year, when the law was introduced, no such notification has been registered.

Dulić, whose company DG Komp made a deal to sell computer equipment to around 70 budget users in Vojvodina, did not notify the Agency.

However, Agency's officials told the newspaper that "Minister Dulić had contacted them in the meantime" and was "preparing detailed documentation about all deals signed by his company with the local government in Subotica and other users of the state budget".

This appears to have come after a website setup in the hope of facilitating whistleblowing reports - pistaljka.rs - made Dulić's private business dealings public last week.

The article today suggests that even if Dulić sees to his obligations now, "it would be a late implementation of the Anti-Corruption Agency Law".

The law says that state officials who own stakes in companies larger than 20 percent, and sign deals with the state, must notify the Agency three days before contracts are signed.

With that mechanism, the Agency hopes to controls whether politicians used their influence to benefit their business, and whether the arrangements were legal.

But apart from Dulić, the law does not apply to other members of the government since their stakes in various companies stand at less than 20 percent.

Only Božidar Đelić is the sole owner of his private company - but it operates in the Netherlands and has no activities in Serbia, according to the daily.