"Controversial privatizations cost RSD 7.7 billion"

BELGRADE Aleksandar Vucic has said that investigations into the cases of controversial privatizations established the value of the damages at RSD 7.7 billion. The deputy prime minister spoke over the weekend and added that criminal charges were filed against 76 people, 56 individuals were arrested and some arrests are yet to be made. "Controversial privatizations cost RSD 7.7 billion" Vucic said that indictments were raised in several cases launched over the 24 controversial privatizations and that investigation is underway in some cases, while there were no grounds for criminal prosecution in others. The authorities are also re-examining the facts in three cases at the prompting by the Anti-Corruption Council. “We agreed in the (Security Service Coordination) Bureau to review the cases once more and these cases include the (electrical vehicle equipment producer) Zastava Elektro, (pharmaceutical company) Srbolek and (railcar producer) Sinvoz,” Vucic told the news conference in the Serbian government building. “The damage in controversial privatizations totaled RSD 7,716,582,000. We expect the proceedings to prove that Serbian courts are doing their job in an independent, fair and just manner and for the justice to be efficient,” said Vucic who also holds office as the head of the Security Service Coordination Bureau. He noted that the European Commission requested the revision and report on the privatization cases in June 2011 after several European companies asked for its assistance in the protection of their property rights. “Former president of the Anti-Corruption Council Verica Barac also faced a lot of difficulties when she tried to tackle the robbery and corruption in the privatizations which are typical for the Serbian and other societies in the transition period,” Vucic said and recalled that he announced fight against corruption and crime and review of controversial privatizations back in July 2012, when he assumed office as the deputy prime minister. (Tanjug) Tanjug

"Controversial privatizations cost RSD 7.7 billion"

Vučić said that indictments were raised in several cases launched over the 24 controversial privatizations and that investigation is underway in some cases, while there were no grounds for criminal prosecution in others. The authorities are also re-examining the facts in three cases at the prompting by the Anti-Corruption Council.

“We agreed in the (Security Service Coordination) Bureau to review the cases once more and these cases include the (electrical vehicle equipment producer) Zastava Elektro, (pharmaceutical company) Srbolek and (railcar producer) Šinvoz,” Vučić told the news conference in the Serbian government building.

“The damage in controversial privatizations totaled RSD 7,716,582,000. We expect the proceedings to prove that Serbian courts are doing their job in an independent, fair and just manner and for the justice to be efficient,” said Vučić who also holds office as the head of the Security Service Coordination Bureau.

He noted that the European Commission requested the revision and report on the privatization cases in June 2011 after several European companies asked for its assistance in the protection of their property rights.

“Former president of the Anti-Corruption Council Verica Barać also faced a lot of difficulties when she tried to tackle the robbery and corruption in the privatizations which are typical for the Serbian and other societies in the transition period,” Vučić said and recalled that he announced fight against corruption and crime and review of controversial privatizations back in July 2012, when he assumed office as the deputy prime minister.