Lawyer satisfied with the verdict: Perović acquitted of all charges alleging damage to the state
If such a practice remains, and I am convinced it will not, I believe that all current ministers and directors of state-owned companies will be in prison within the next two years. Namely, Jelena was found guilty because she concluded a service contract with a person in the Agency, and that person received the agreed compensation under that contract, even though the State Audit Institution (SAI) had assessed the contract as valid. We will appeal that part, and I believe we have a good chance of winning before the Court of Appeal and that we will prevail – Martinović said
Lawyer Nikola Martinović stated that he is satisfied with the sentence of two years and two months in prison imposed on former director of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption, Jelena Perović, „because she was acquitted of all charges alleging that she caused damage to the state“, adding that he would not focus on the sentence itself, as he believes it cannot stand on factual grounds.
- In other words, all issues regarding variable pay, payments, use of an official vehicle, advisors… she was acquitted of all of that. In my opinion, the defense should be satisfied, and I am satisfied - Martinović emphasized.
According to him, what surprised him was that the Court accepted that a single service contract constitutes a criminal offense.
- If such a practice remains, and I am convinced it will not, I believe that all current ministers and directors of state-owned companies will be in prison within the next two years. Namely, Jelena was found guilty because she concluded a service contract with a person in the Agency, and that person received the agreed compensation under that contract, even though the State Audit Institution (SAI) had assessed the contract as valid. We will appeal that part, and I believe we have a good chance of winning before the Court of Appeal and that we will prevail - Martinović said.
Martinović also noted that he would not deal with the sentence because it cannot stand on factual grounds.
- As I said, I believe it cannot stand factually, so it will not even be a matter for discussion. In my opinion, that contract for which she was found guilty cannot in any way constitute a criminal offense - Martinović concluded.
Perović was sentenced to two years and two months in prison for abuse of office and falsification of an official document.
The first-instance verdict was delivered by Judge Simo Rašović at the High Court, who rejected the prosecution’s motion to order detention.
Her assistant, Nina Paović, was sentenced to six months of house arrest.