Democratic Front (DF) official Milutin Djukanovic told the chief special prosecutor Milivoje Katnic on Tuesday that he did not know who had sent their driver Mihailo Cadjenovic to Belgrade and that only Andrija Mandic and he signed travel orders for using the party’s official vehicle, Dnevne Novine newspaper learns. However, Djukanovic could not remember who of the two officials signed the travel order based on which Cadjenovic went to Belgrade.
Questioned about party finances
The prosecutor was questioning Djukanovic nearly three hours. In addition to the use of official vehicle, Katnic was also interested in the finances of the political alliance.
“I was questioned by chief special prosecutor Milivoje Katnic about operations related to the party’s official vehicle, in terms of who approves its use. He also asked certain things related to the party’s finance. I explained that and said that Mihailo Cadjenovic works only upon my or Andrija Mandic’s instructions, but I cannot really say what it has to do with the so-called coup,” Djukanovic told reporters after the hearing in the Special State Prosecutor’s Office (SDT).
The prosecutor’s order to conduct an investigation into the coup attempt refers to a total of 25 people, including DF leaders Milan Knezevic and Andrija Mandic, as well as their driver Mihailo Cadjenovic.
Party failed to meet legal obligation
SDT is checking the entire election campaign of DF due to the suspicion that it was financed from abroad through dubious financial transactions and donations that can be eventually associated with money laundering. The inquiry is focused on two contracts concluded on 2 September 2016, at the beginning of the election campaign.
In the meantime, budget funds for DF have been blocked upon the request of the Corruption Prevention Agency, until about twenty misdemeanour cases against the political group are ended. The cases have been initiated for violating the Law on Financing of Political Parties and Electoral Campaigns.
The agency’s control has shown that DF did not comply with a legal obligation to open a separate bank account for the election campaign, to appoint a person responsible for purposeful spending of money and to inform the prosecutor’s office about that.
