A Vojvodina-based investigative portal said on Monday that the authorities in Serbia’s northern province have approved funding for projects proposed by people close to the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).

The Vojvodina Investigative-Analytical Center (VOICE) said that projects proposed by Provincial Agriculture Secretary Vuk Radojevic and Vera Mirovic, a professor at the Subotica University School of Economy and wife of Provincial Government chief Igor Mirovic were chosen out of proposals for short-term sustainable development projects. The financing was approved in July by Provincial Education Secretary Zoran Milosevic in July who confirmed to VOICE that one of the projects that he appoved funding for was submitted by his relative Novi Sad University Professor Mijodrag Milosevic.

Milosevic approved funding for 45 projects, allocating 600,000 Dinars (1 Euro – 118 Dinars) for each project following a May 15 invitation for proposals. The total budget for the competition was 29 million Dinars. VOICE said the selected projects were recommended by expert commissions, the names of whose members have not been released to the public.

Milosevic said they were mainly university professors and added that he did not consult the Anti-Corruption Agency over possible conflicts of interest.

The Agency told VOICE that there are conflicts of interest in this case because the money was allocated to state officials. VOICE said that there have been cases of members of the Mirovic family receiving preferential treatment.