Vucic Not Tackling Serbia's Corruption, Experts Say

Zoran Stojiljkovic, head of Serbia's Anti-Corruption Agency, told BIRN that there are no objective indications that corruption was decreasing in Serbia even though the ruling Progressive Party won a decisive election in 2012 on an anti-corruption manifesto.

"There are no measurable improvements in the field of corruption. The alleged fight against corruption is not institutionalized and is all about... individuals," Stojiljkovic said.

He added that relevant state institutions are not submitting necessary reports and informing the public, which is important if corruption in the public sector is to be controlled.

Stojiljkovic added that the arrest in 2012 of the tycoon Miroslav Miskovic, whose trial is ongoing, increased Vucic's ratings, but he did not expect a spectacular outcome in the case.

"Since it is really hard to prove anything big in court, I think the government is looking for an exit strategy. If there is any verdict, it will probably disappoint public expectations," he said.

Miskovic, owner of  Serbia's largest private company, Delta Holding, was arrested on December 12, 2012, on suspicion of illegally earning more than 30 million euros from privatised road companies.

The suspects include his son, Marko, owner of Mera Investment Fund, and Marko Djuraskovic, owner of the road building company, Nibens Group.

The Prosecutor's Office in May 2013 indicted these three, and eight other people, for illegal extraction and appropriation of funds and assets from several road companies from 2005 to 2010.

The Prosecutor's Office suspects they damaged road construction companies by about 148 million euros, and the budget of Serbia by around 4 million euros

Miskovic has denied the charges, saying he has always...