BEKO: It is true I own Novosti

(Milan Beko)

Businessman Milan Beko has admitted he is the owner of daily paper Vecernje Novosti and added that he entered that deal when WAZ media concern was seeking a domestic partner.

However, Beko did not later sell that daily newspaper to WAZ, although he admits that his companies have obtained 24 million euros for the acquisition of Novosti.

On "Between the Lines" show on TV B92, Milan Beko confirmed that Miroslav Miskovic and he had some joint business arrangements, but he denied that they had borrowed some money from Stanko Subotic Cane, for whom an arrest warrant has been issued in Serbia over cigarette smuggling charges.

He rejected all accusations that he had privatized Vecernje Novosti or taken over Port of Belgrade thanks to the support of certain people in the government. Beko also said that all the stories about irregularities in that process were part of the campaign of the Anti-corruption Council.