Anti-Corruption Council silent about Telekom-Wireless Media contract

The Council said that it would inform the public about the case once it completes its investigation but some experts believe that the Council is being obstructed in its efforts.  

The contract between Telekom Serbia and Igor Zezelj’s Wireless Media was worth 37.9 million Euro. The opposition SSP said that it was fictitious and damaging but the authorities denied those claims. The final word on the contract should come from the Anti-Corruption Council.  

Council Vice-President Miroslav Milicevic said that he wants the public to know that the legal and economic investigation of the Telekom is very complex. “There are different legal opinions about the contract. The Council bases its reports solely on public documents acquired legally. The copy of the contract that we received is missing a page and it invokes an umbrella contract and eight annexes. The Council turned to Zezelj but we can only suggest that we look at the document together and give an opinion,” Milicevic said.

Council member Dusan Slijepcevic said that they also turned to the government. “No decision has been taken so far. We requested, we sent a note to the government and Igor Zezelj but we got no reply from either. We are waiting for their answers,” he said.  

So why the long wait?

SSP deputy leader Marinika Tepic, the woman who revealed the possible corruption deal, said: “The contract is clear evidence of payment to beat and discipline the media”. She recalled that she called Public Prosecutor Zagorka Dolovac to speak up about the contract but got no reaction. “I also gave the Anti-Corruption Council contract with a request to speak up – which is their job – and pass the contracts and their opinion to the public prosecutor and the government because they are the government Anti-Corruption Council. I did that a day before a scheduled meeting when the Council was supposed to decide on corruption in the Telekom and they wanted more time to analyze the contract in detail,” Tepic said.  

Political Science Professor and former Council member Cedomir Cupic told N1 that the Council and other institutions should have reacted immediately. He warned that the Council is being obstructed. He said that the State Auditor should have investigated the Telekom immediately to look into its expenses and investments and file a report immediately and the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance should have made sure all information about the Telekom is public.