New criminal charges against Galenika, Velefarm managers

BELGRADE - The tax police on Wednesday filed new criminal charges against nine senior managers at the Galenika and Velefarm pharmaceutical companies, including former Galenika director Nenad Ognjenovic and Dragan Backovic, a former chairman of Galenika's board of directors.

Ognjenovic and Backovic were arrested on Sunday on suspicion of having embezzled over EUR 75 million of company funds with seven other suspects.

However, the new charges relate to new criminal offences and suspects, some of whom have been investigated in the past by the Prosecutor's Office for Organised Crime.

The Prosecutor's Office has already raised an indictment over frauds at Galenika, with two investigations currently under way.

According to the website of the Tax Administration, the charges allege that the suspects inflicted damage to the state-owned company between November 2008 and the end of 2012 by shipping its products to Velefarm, using promissory notes - which were subsequently paid from Galenika's account by request from N.O. and D.S. - as collaterals.

At the request of suspect D.B., Galenika repaid a EUR 2.2 million loan taken by Velefarm Holding Company from Unicredit Bank.

Photo Tanjug/Z. Zestic (Archive, illustration)