se times
16/11/2010
Homes and buildings once owned by crime bosses are being reused for civic purposes.
By Bojana Milovanovic for Southeast European Times from Belgrade -- 16/11/10
Homes and buildings once owned by crime bosses are being reused for civic purposes.
By Bojana Milovanovic for Southeast European Times from Belgrade -- 16/11/10
Serbia has been implementing the law that provides for the confiscation of property acquired through criminal means. The value of properties seized so far has been estimated at 200m euros.
This includes facilities owned by Milorad Lukovic Legija -- convicted of organising the assassination of Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic -- and drug lord Darko Saric, wanted for smuggling cocaine from Colombia.
According to the Serbian Justice Ministry, the confiscated facilities will primarily be used for humanitarian purposes: retirement homes, youth centres and centres for the disabled.
Four such facilities have already been handed over to the Belgrade city administration, including Darko Saric's house. It is now a centre for the recovery of child cancer patients, said Slobodan Homen, a ministry senior official.
"We give away only the best facilities because many of them fell into disrepair, as their owners are on the run. The state is also raking in serious revenue from renting out [confiscated] apartments, more than 100,000 euros per month, which goes to charities. We finance the work of soup kitchens or aid municipalities hit by a natural disaster, such as the floods in the Trgoviste municipality," Homen said.
He explained that leasing out large, luxury villas is especially profitable. An example is property previously owned by Saric, which was offered to foreign states for their embassies. Apart from houses, many commercial venues are rented out, he adds.
Other facilities are given to institutions that fight crime, Homen said. "One confiscated facility in Kragujevac is now a police station, and other facilities were handed over to the gendarmerie and prosecutors' offices."
He also said that over 100 cars were seized so far and all were given away to the financial inspectorate, the Security Information Agency, the army, and primary health care units.
About 15 companies were seized, along with thousands hectares of land. Three hotels estimated at around 30m euros each were seized in Serbia's northern province of Vojvodina.
"One should be cautious with companies, since many are in debt," Homen said.
This includes facilities owned by Milorad Lukovic Legija -- convicted of organising the assassination of Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic -- and drug lord Darko Saric, wanted for smuggling cocaine from Colombia.
According to the Serbian Justice Ministry, the confiscated facilities will primarily be used for humanitarian purposes: retirement homes, youth centres and centres for the disabled.
Four such facilities have already been handed over to the Belgrade city administration, including Darko Saric's house. It is now a centre for the recovery of child cancer patients, said Slobodan Homen, a ministry senior official.
"We give away only the best facilities because many of them fell into disrepair, as their owners are on the run. The state is also raking in serious revenue from renting out [confiscated] apartments, more than 100,000 euros per month, which goes to charities. We finance the work of soup kitchens or aid municipalities hit by a natural disaster, such as the floods in the Trgoviste municipality," Homen said.
He explained that leasing out large, luxury villas is especially profitable. An example is property previously owned by Saric, which was offered to foreign states for their embassies. Apart from houses, many commercial venues are rented out, he adds.
Other facilities are given to institutions that fight crime, Homen said. "One confiscated facility in Kragujevac is now a police station, and other facilities were handed over to the gendarmerie and prosecutors' offices."
He also said that over 100 cars were seized so far and all were given away to the financial inspectorate, the Security Information Agency, the army, and primary health care units.
About 15 companies were seized, along with thousands hectares of land. Three hotels estimated at around 30m euros each were seized in Serbia's northern province of Vojvodina.
"One should be cautious with companies, since many are in debt," Homen said.
He said the state does not sell seized facilities, but rather runs them like a good host, and if anyone whose property was confiscated is cleared of criminal charges, their property will be returned to them.
While many citizens welcome this use of ill-gotten gains, they remain outraged that criminals are able to amass such levels of wealth in the first place.
"The state must not allow criminals to be richer than the state," says Belgrade resident Mitar Golijan.
"It would be better yet if the state did not have to seize criminals' property to solve citizens' problems," adds Gordana Krstic.
This content was commissioned for SETimes.com.
While many citizens welcome this use of ill-gotten gains, they remain outraged that criminals are able to amass such levels of wealth in the first place.
"The state must not allow criminals to be richer than the state," says Belgrade resident Mitar Golijan.
"It would be better yet if the state did not have to seize criminals' property to solve citizens' problems," adds Gordana Krstic.
This content was commissioned for SETimes.com.
read more: se times
Δεν υπάρχουν σχόλια:
Δημοσίευση σχολίου