Charges against Kertes rejected due to SOL expiry

BELGRADE - The Belgrade Special Court Monday rejected charges against Mihalj Kertes, former director of Federal Customs Bureau of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia accused of illegally transferring state money to Cyprus, as the statute of limitations (SOL) in the case has expired.

Kertes had been sentenced to six and a half years in prison over charges of illegally transferring a sizeable amount of customs revenues to accounts held by a number of companies in the period between mid-1994 and October 5, 2000 and taking around DEM 38 million to Cyprus without the permission of the National Bank of Yugoslavia.

The Supreme Court of Cassation revoked the ruling in 2013 and instructed the Appellate Court to revise the appeals against the verdict, which was followed by a retrial before the Special Court.

The verdict was revoked because the statute of limitations in the case expired on October 5, 2010.

The Organized Crime Prosecutors' Office announced appealing the Monday ruling.

Kertes was charged with acting on orders by former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic and illegally transferring the funds from the country's customs revenues to bank accounts of companies and individuals.

According to the indictment, in the period from May 4, 1994 to October 5, 2000, Kertes withdraw around DEM 115.8 million, USD 2.95 million and over RSD 2 million from the bank account of the Federal Customs Bureau.

He was also charged with illegally taking DEM 38 million out of the country without the permission of the National Bank of Yugoslavia.

“My family and I have been waiting for this moment for 13 years and now finally see justice prevail after all the abuse I have been through,” Kertes told...