Businessman Goran Percevic arrested

BELGRADE - Goran Percevic, owner of Innterkomerc and former high-ranking official of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) suspected of financial crimes related to Univerzal banka and worth millions of euros, was arrested on Saturday, Tanjug has learned from the Interior Ministry.

Percevic was arrested at a friend's house in the part of Belgrade called Batajnica. His friend was apprehended as well.
Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic said on Saturday a warrant for Percevic's arrest had been issued on suspision of multiple crimes related to Univerzal banka, which declared bankruptcy early this year.

The warrant was issued on suspicion that Percevic used his position and exceeded his authority to secure loans for a number of companies through direct deals with Univerzal's management.

Certain companies got 34 loans that totalled over RSD 1.4 billion, which could not be returned due to credit inability and inadequate security, which was known at the time the loans were approved, Stefanovic said.

Percevic's Interkomerc was among those companies who owed the most to Univerzal, RSD 1 billion.

Percevic was one of the founders and a president of the Young Socialists of Serbia and later a vice president of the SPS. He left the party in November 2000.

According to media reports, Percevic owns valuable real estate, mostly in the centre of Belgrade, that have been under mortgage since 4-5 years ago, which did not prevent him from using them as collateral for new loans.