Anti-Corruption Agency: Branko Stefanovic Is Not GIM Owner or Employee

Branko Stefanovic (Media Center Belgrade)

The Anti-Corruption Agency released a statement on Dec 9, in which it says that Branko Stefanovic, father of Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic, is not the owner or a legal representative, nor has he ever been employed by or in any way engaged in the operation of the GIM company.

Following a check it conducted, the Agency also concluded that the GIM purchasing arms from the Krusik arms factory does not represent conflict of interest for Minister Stefanovic; that this event cannot and did not influence the minister’s ability to perform his public duty fairly and independently, and that there is no dependency relationship a public official has to avoid when in office.

The statement also says that the Agency has made a preliminary check to see if the conditions have been met for the initiation of proceedings for the violation of provisions of the Law on the Anti-Corruption Agency.

It was also established, the Agency added, that the GIM has not paid any employee contributions for Branko Stefanovic.

Looking into the matter, the Agency gathered information from the GIM, the Central Registry for Compulsory Social Insurance, the Register of businesses that deal in arms, their components and ammunition, the Pension Disability and Insurance Fund, and the Business Registers Agency.

“Given that no dependency relationship has been established, which Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic, as a public official, should avoid while in office, the Agency did not investigate or analyze the pricing of arms on the market,” the announcement said.