Big operation of the Serbian police: Eight people "went down"

The following owners of consulting agencies from Belgrade, Sjenica, Zrenjanin and Sečanj, got arrested - M.S. (44), Α.M. (65), A.M. (37), M.P. (58), I.P. (51) and B.J. (49), due to the existence of grounds for suspicion that they committed the criminal offense of abuse of official position in assisting, as well as V.V. (27), suspected of criminal offenses of abuse of official position in assisting and money laundering, and M.Š. (45), due to the existence of grounds for suspicion that he committed the criminal offense of money laundering.

Due to the existence of grounds for suspicion that they have committed criminal acts of abuse of official position, the criminal report includes D.S. (1973), the former mayor of the City of Niš, who is in custody, and four other employees of the City Administration.

It is suspected that D.S. from 11.7.2022. until 14.6.2024. year, using her official position and the authority of the mayor of the City of Niš, acted contrary to the provisions of the Rulebook on the closer regulation of public procurement procedures, by ordering the implementation of the procurement procedure to which the law does not apply for the provision of consulting services, even though she knew that those services were not in the function of performing activities within the scope of the mayor's work and that the City of Niš has professional services for their performance, and she did not adequately research the market and realistically determine the estimated value of the procurement.

It is suspected that D.S. concluded nine contracts with consultants after procurement procedures for consulting services were carried out, and based on the monthly invoices of the said consultants, she approved and demanded from the City Administration for Finances of the City of Nis, payment up to the value of the contract, without monitoring the implementation of the contract, knowing at the same time that the said consultants did not provide any services, nor did they submit reports on their work, which she tried to cover up during the control by the State Audit Office institution, signing blank minutes and tables that together with her colleagues she attended meetings and trainings held by consultants.

In this way, it is suspected that she obtained illegal property benefits from the said consultants in the total amount of 11,198,400 dinars, to the detriment of the budget funds of the City of Niš, in which, as is suspected, the arrested owners of the consulting agencies helped her.

It is suspected that V.V., from November 24, 2022 to November 23, 2023, withdrew money in the amount of 999,000 dinars, which he acquired according to issued invoices from the account of the City of Niš to the accounts of his business, with the knowledge that this money comes from a criminal offense that, as it is suspected, was committed by D.S., so he withdrew the money from the account and kept five percent, while the rest, according to a previous agreement and instructions, he gave directly to M.Š.

It is suspected that M.Š. then used that money, even though he knew it came from a criminal act.

Also, in addition to D.S., a criminal complaint was filed in the regular procedure against R.B. (63), former head of the City Administration for Property of the City of Niš, M.J. (55), former head of the City Administration for City Bodies and Civil Conditions of the City of Niš, as well as I.B. (55) and B.I. (53), managers in the City Administration for City Bodies and Civil Conditions of the City of Niš, due to the existence of grounds for suspicion that they committed a criminal offense abuse of official position.