High rep: Media report about Dodik probe was false

BANJA LUKA Valentin Inzko had denied that an investigation into the dealings of Milorad Dodik and his son Igor was launched in Austria or Germany. The high international representative in Bosnia-Herzegovina was reacting to a media report that surfaced last week, alleging that "anti-corruption investigations" had been initiated against the president of the Serb Republic (RS). High rep: Media report about Dodik probe was false Inzko said that he was "surprised by the false data" presented in an article penned by Croatian journalist Domagoj Margetic, who claimed that judicial proceedings had been launched in Austria "by State Prosecutor (Rolf) Holub". The international official, himself an Austrian, explained that Holub was a member of the country's parliament, rather than its state prosecutor: "I do not know the gentleman (Margetic), but I did read his articles. The first thing that surprised me was that he named a man, the Austrian prosecutor, although that man is not a prosecutor. He is a member of parliament, he's not any kind of prosecutor, I called him to ask what was going on, whether proceedings had been launched, and he said he had launched nothing against Dodik." Speaking for the TV1 BiH outlet, Iznko explained that Holub did head the anti-corruption committee in the parliament of the federal state of Carinthia, that thanks to his work, an Austrian politician involved in the Hypo Alpe Adria Bank affair was put in jail for five years, and added: "It's true that he, while he headed the committee, sent some boxes filled with material to Vienna, but I really don't know what was in those boxes. However it is true that no proceedings had ever been initiated against Dodik." Inzko also said that there was an investigation in Germany related to the bank, but that "it had nothing to do with the Dodik family, but rather with some other persons". Domagoj Margetic published his article last week on the SEEbiz.eu website, claiming that the state prosecution in Munich had launched an investigation into the affairs of Dodik and his son, on suspicion of "multiple criminal acts in the Hypo Alpe Andria Bank in Banja Luka case". The German prosecution then issued a statement saying that there was no ongoing, or past investigation against Dodik, or any member of his family. Valentin Inzko (Tanjug, file) Tanjug

High rep: Media report about Dodik probe was false

Inzko said that he was "surprised by the false data" presented in an article penned by Croatian journalist Domagoj Margetić, who claimed that judicial proceedings had been launched in Austria "by State Prosecutor (Rolf) Holub".

The international official, himself an Austrian, explained that Holub was a member of the country's parliament, rather than its state prosecutor:

"I do not know the gentleman (Margetić), but I did read his articles. The first thing that surprised me was that he named a man, the Austrian prosecutor, although that man is not a prosecutor. He is a member of parliament, he's not any kind of prosecutor, I called him to ask what was going on, whether proceedings had been launched, and he said he had launched nothing against Dodik."

Speaking for the TV1 BiH outlet, Iznko explained that Holub did head the anti-corruption committee in the parliament of the federal state of Carinthia, that thanks to his work, an Austrian politician involved in the Hypo Alpe Adria Bank affair was put in jail for five years, and added:

"It's true that he, while he headed the committee, sent some boxes filled with material to Vienna, but I really don't know what was in those boxes. However it is true that no proceedings had ever been initiated against Dodik."

Inzko also said that there was an investigation in Germany related to the bank, but that "it had nothing to do with the Dodik family, but rather with some other persons".

Domagoj Margetić published his article last week on the SEEbiz.eu website, claiming that the state prosecution in Munich had launched an investigation into the affairs of Dodik and his son, on suspicion of "multiple criminal acts in the Hypo Alpe Andria Bank in Banja Luka case".

The German prosecution then issued a statement saying that there was no ongoing, or past investigation against Dodik, or any member of his family.