BELGRADE -- Serbia's Energy Minister Zorana Mihajloviĉ on Thursday accused the coal strip mining company Kolubara of being "mired in crime and corruption".
"Millions" syphoned off from coal mine, minister charges
BELGRADE -- Serbia's Energy Minister Zorana Mihajloviĉ on Thursday accused the coal strip mining company Kolubara of being "mired in crime and corruption".
Source: Beta
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She specified that the authorities believe Kolubara paid salaries "to non-existent persons", and that the number of these payments to fictitious employees ranged "from 1,000 to 1,500".
Furthermore, the mine bought equipment for prices that were "three, four, six times higher than normal", Mijaloviĉ stated.
Kolubara's losses of RSD 11 billion increased by RSD 3.6 billion in 2012 alone - in the period that preceded the forming of the country's new government.
The minister also told journalists that member of the Managing Board of the Serbian power monopoly EPS Radoslav Savatijeviĉ was given EUR 1.2 million by the board as compensation for his house in the village of Vreoci, that was to be expropriated as room was being made for a new strip mine.
The value of the house was appraised at EUR 3.4 million.
She noted that the advance payment was made based on the EPS board's decision, without a decision on expropriation, and based on a directive written by then Director General of the Mining Basin Kolubara Neboja Ĉeran.
"Two days after, the payment was made (to Savatijeviĉ), at a time when there was no money for first priority expropriations - on which our electricity supply depends," explained Mihajloviĉ.
She stressed that Savatijeviĉ's house was in fact located far from the second priority zone, and that it would not be up for demolition for the next seven years - "and bearing in mind the pace and plans for the mine's expansion, it is uncertain if it would ever be demolished".
More controversial decision were made by experts hired to appraise the value of property slated to be torn down. The minister noted that in some cases, garages were appraised to be worth EUR 66,000, while in once case, four flower containers were determined to be worth EUR 10,000.
As for Savatijeviĉ's village house, the minister noted that a home in downtown Belgrade spreading on thousands of square meters could be worth EUR 3.4 million.
Furthermore, Savatijeviĉ did not have the house registered as his address of residence - a condition for a structure to be eligible for expropriation compensation.
Mihajloviĉ noted that these suspected wrongdoings were "only some of the abuses taking place in Kolubara".
"We cannot appraise the total damage, this is just one of the examples from one sector where abuse and crime took place."
She could not specify whether the investigation also targeted other members of the EPS board who made the decision to pay the compensation money to Savatoviĉ.
Meanwhile, Kolubara General Director Milorad Grèiĉ said that expropriation activities in Vreoci would continue as planned.
Its good to know that fight against corruption is not limited to Alex Vucic. In time, things will fall into its proper place
(LaasYahNir, 26 January 2013 11:39)
The Kolubara miners and directors were some of the largest protesters/strikers against the Milosevic government, and they did it to pressure it. It's said that the mine director was paid a million dollars by the U.S. for that.
But after the DOS government was installed, post-Milosevic, many of the miners were soon out of job. It was actually spelled out in the DOS platform that there'd be future job losses.
It's no surprise to find that the traitors running the mine also are also greedy cheats and thieves.
(ida, 25 January 2013 01:18)
Sorry to say B92, but this is a horribly written article. I have no idea what you are talking about. I understand that there was some wrong doing, and an investigation is on-going, but who built what, where, when, approved by who, and is being torn down, and is still approved by present director, and blah, blah. I was totally confused. In any case, there appears to be wide spread theft going on at Kolubara, past and present. Let's hope that the thieves will be made to pay, financially and behind bars. The only thing I think about is, is it possible that this new government is the only one capable of going after Serbia's crook, and the DS run government was not? Were they (the DS) also the bad guy? Is the current ruling ruling coalition so squeaky clean, that not one of its members is ever implemented in any corruption? Something is a bit fishy to me, not only in Kolubara.
(winston, 24 January 2013 23:01)
This is just one example of so many how the previous Serbian government was stealing not only from its people but from every state-owned company.
(Milli, 24 January 2013 19:53)
This is just one example of so many how the previous Serbian government was stealing not only from its people but from every state-owned company.
(Milli, 24 January 2013 19:53)
The Kolubara miners and directors were some of the largest protesters/strikers against the Milosevic government, and they did it to pressure it. It's said that the mine director was paid a million dollars by the U.S. for that.
But after the DOS government was installed, post-Milosevic, many of the miners were soon out of job. It was actually spelled out in the DOS platform that there'd be future job losses.
It's no surprise to find that the traitors running the mine also are also greedy cheats and thieves.
(ida, 25 January 2013 01:18)
Its good to know that fight against corruption is not limited to Alex Vucic. In time, things will fall into its proper place
(LaasYahNir, 26 January 2013 11:39)
Sorry to say B92, but this is a horribly written article. I have no idea what you are talking about. I understand that there was some wrong doing, and an investigation is on-going, but who built what, where, when, approved by who, and is being torn down, and is still approved by present director, and blah, blah. I was totally confused. In any case, there appears to be wide spread theft going on at Kolubara, past and present. Let's hope that the thieves will be made to pay, financially and behind bars. The only thing I think about is, is it possible that this new government is the only one capable of going after Serbia's crook, and the DS run government was not? Were they (the DS) also the bad guy? Is the current ruling ruling coalition so squeaky clean, that not one of its members is ever implemented in any corruption? Something is a bit fishy to me, not only in Kolubara.
(winston, 24 January 2013 23:01)
Sorry to say B92, but this is a horribly written article. I have no idea what you are talking about. I understand that there was some wrong doing, and an investigation is on-going, but who built what, where, when, approved by who, and is being torn down, and is still approved by present director, and blah, blah. I was totally confused. In any case, there appears to be wide spread theft going on at Kolubara, past and present. Let's hope that the thieves will be made to pay, financially and behind bars. The only thing I think about is, is it possible that this new government is the only one capable of going after Serbia's crook, and the DS run government was not? Were they (the DS) also the bad guy? Is the current ruling ruling coalition so squeaky clean, that not one of its members is ever implemented in any corruption? Something is a bit fishy to me, not only in Kolubara.
(winston, 24 January 2013 23:01)
Its good to know that fight against corruption is not limited to Alex Vucic. In time, things will fall into its proper place
(LaasYahNir, 26 January 2013 11:39)
The Kolubara miners and directors were some of the largest protesters/strikers against the Milosevic government, and they did it to pressure it. It's said that the mine director was paid a million dollars by the U.S. for that.
But after the DOS government was installed, post-Milosevic, many of the miners were soon out of job. It was actually spelled out in the DOS platform that there'd be future job losses.
It's no surprise to find that the traitors running the mine also are also greedy cheats and thieves.
(ida, 25 January 2013 01:18)
This is just one example of so many how the previous Serbian government was stealing not only from its people but from every state-owned company.
(Milli, 24 January 2013 19:53)