In an interview with Nadezda Gace and Jelka Jovanovic, the prosecutor Miljko Radisavljevic reveals the progression of those cases, but also the ones on Kolubara, vaccines, the background of the assassination of Zoran Djindjic, killings of journalists…
Miljko Radisavljevic is the third prosecutor for organized crime since that office was founded. After Jovan Prijic, appointed right before the assassinaton of the Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic, then Slobodan Radovanovic, the case of the assassinators was closed under Radisavljevic. After that case he went on to a line of other crimes from this vast field.
He was appointed fisrts in 2007, and then again in November of 2009. The unquestionable meaning of the Prosecutor’s office is measured even by the new difficult job, the investigation and the processing of high-end corruption where the abuses in Kolubara make up an important part, but the public is still curious about the unfinished businesses. The interest for the proceedings against the controversial businessman Stanko Subotic and the Darko Saric’s clan isn’t fading, and the political background of the murder of Zoran Djindjic and the murder of the journalists always arise curiosities.
After the sentencing of the assassinators of the Prime Minister Djindjic an investigation on the political background of the assassination and the revolt of the JSO was announced. A lot of controversy was brought upon also by the announcement that even Vojislav Kostunica will be questioned, after which there was a lull. How far have you come to, how many people were questioned and have you given up on the questioning of Kostunica?
The impression that there is a standstill in the pre trial processing of this case is wrong. Many people who have some knowledge or were the participators in the event of 2001 have been questioned, and all those who can contribute to its resolvement will be called upon. Soon the pre trial process will be over.
The public has been waiting for a long time for the resolvement of the murders of journalists Dada Vujasinovic, Slavko Curuvija and Milan Pantic. Curuvija’s case is in your hands, so can and when can we expect some breakthroughs?
The killings of journalists are a disgrace for the people of Serbia. Dada Vujasinovic and Milan Pantic’s cases are at some other prosecutor’s offices. And I believe that our colleagues will do everything to resolve them. And when we are talking about Slavko Curuvija there is no dilemma or doubt that we will solve that case. There are even concrete reasons why I can say that.
The Court for organized crime ordered additional “organizing” of the indictment against Darko Saric. What is actually expected of you and will it prolong the process or make it more efficient?
It’s not about the basic and some important remarks from the Court. We have already finished them. The Prosecutor’s office for organized crime has a couple of indictments against Darko Saric and other members of this international organized crime group for cocaine smuggling and money laundering. The evidence we gathered so far say that in 2008 and 2009 this organized group was involved in the smuggling of some four tones of pure cocaine which is worth moe than 140 million Euros on the western European market. And it was sold “in bulk”. The street price of cocaine with such purity is much higher. We are talking about the quantities which were confiscated in many countries – Italy, Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina.
When we are talking about the indictment for cocaine smuggling, at the moment there is an evidence hearing where two cooperative witnesses were also questioned. In the process for money laundering, two legal convictions were made based on an agreement about the admittance of guilt. That only confirms the thesis of the Prosecutor that the money made by cocaine smuggling was placed in the financial system f Serbia and used to buy privatized companies which dispose of great agricultural complexes in Vojvodina.
In your jurisdiction are also acts of high corruption.The European partners are expecting a decisive fight against corruption, just like in Croatia where the former Prime Minister is now being processed. Will some important names be heard from your requests for investigations and indictments?
All those for whose guilt we have enough evidence will be processed. It is not a phrase but a fact which is confirmed also by the results of our work. On our indictments you can find managers of some of the biggest public companies, doctors of important health facilities, bankers, politicians…
Our obligation is to protect the citizens of Serbia from all of those who endanger their workplaces by corruption and organized crime, or enable them to realize their rights for retirement, medical care and education and use the state budget for their personal enrichment.
In the last few years, since it received the competencies for the criminal prosecution of high corruption, the Prosecutor’s office for organized crime has started several criminal processes for events which have been in the public eye for past couple of years and which have not had a criminal-legal epilogue. Now Jocic, Sarancic, Borojevic are in court, and we have started processes in connection to the privatization of Belgrade theaters, unlawful usurpation of IKL, FAM, and the property of public companies…We have shown that the Office is not acting selectively and that all those against who we find enough evidence will be brought to justice.
There was a big fuss over the Kolubara case. When can we expect to see the first visible results? What is happening with that case?
The Prosecutor’s office for organized crime got involved a few months ago in the pre trial process. In this short time we managed to find and gather the documentation which is extremely important for our further work. Besides the police, I decided to also involve the tax police in the pre trial process. We have also involved, highly, the analytical capacities of these organs. That is necessary because we have some 500.000 different documents, on the usage of the machines which Kolubara leased and on the selling of coil, that need to be processed and analyzed. I have to mention that we are investigating some 30 firms in connection to the work of this company, which makes the pre trial process very difficult. We will soon have some concrete results.
(The entire text in our printed edition)