In the continuation of the trial for "carbon" loans, the defendants Zoran Nikolić and Brankica Bašović presented their defense today in the High Court in Podgorica, who, before the special panel of judge Igor Đuričković, told in detail everything about the operations of the "Atlas Group".
In the indictment against the businessman and president of the Atlas group, Duško Knežević, it is stated, among other things, that Knežević, Predrag Dašić, Zoran Nikolić, Brankica Bašović and Biljana Bašović caused damage to the legal entity "Global Karbon" DOO Podgorica, and to the legal entities "Fin Invest". "Atlas Grupa", RTV "Atlas", "RT Mimoza", "Atlas Sistem" and "Mega Gulf Investments Holdings Limited" obtained benefits against the law in the amount of 1, 942.000 euros.
Bašović: Because of Đurđić's false testimony, I am in the indictment
Bašović said that because of the false testimony of the associate witness Đorđe Đurđić, he has been in this indictment for five years.
"Because of Đurđić, I was accused of having molested my child, my daughter Biljana, who was also accused, and that we created a criminal group. Because of his testimony, I was presented in public as a 'monster mother.' was one of the largest in Montenegro. It was a matter of prestige to work in this company," said Bašović through tears.
She added that she understood the allegations in the indictment.
"I do not admit that I have committed criminal acts. I do not admit guilt. This is the first time I can publicly present my defense. These criminal acts listed in the indictment do not exist. This indictment is meaningless. There are a lot of lies in this indictment. I am being blamed that I wanted to destroy the 'Atlas group'. The indictment was fabricated. The documentation of the 'Atlas group' was completely correct and all the companies were registered with me within the 'Atlas Group', 15 of them and all of them were limited liability companies," Bašović said.
She said that she performed accounting and financial work in "Atlas Group".
"There is completely proper documentation for every company within the 'Atlas Group'. It was important for the Special State Prosecutor's Office (SDT) to present us in public as a criminal group," said Bašović.
She added that from November 2007 to December 2014, she was a director at "Atlas invest".
She said that the horror arose after they arrested her, as well as her daughter, and that there were three minor children left in the house.
"I will always be grateful to the policeman"
Bašović said that she was taken to the "concrete mixer", and she did not know what was happening to her daughter, who was arrested but was being held in custody.
"I will always be grateful to the police officer who whispered to me through the bars that my daughter was released and that she was with the children. I don't know his name. They treated me well in the police. The prosecutor insisted on detention and the New Year 2019, I saw in the pre-trial prison. However, my detention was canceled on January XNUMX," said the accused.
She added that pressure was put on her.
"The chief special prosecutor (GST) slandered us at press conferences and showed some schemes that we damaged Montenegro for 100 million euros. I don't want to offend anyone. This is completely untrue," said Bašović.
She added that the prosecutor's office was leaking information to the media.
The indictment presented that from the business and financial documentation, the special prosecutor states that it follows that during 2008, Duško Knežević organized a criminal group, and that this follows from the testimony of the defense of the defendants as well as from the testimony of the associate witness Đorđe Đurđić, it is written in the explanation of the indictment .
During 2008, the defendant Duško Knežević organized a criminal organization on the territory of Montenegro that operated until the end of 2017, whose members became the other defendants, as well as Đorđe Đurđić – a cooperating witness in this case.
According to the indictment, the defendants deliberately incited Biljana Bašović, the executive director of the company "Global Karbon", whose founder is Invest banka Montenegro AD Podgorica, with the intention of obtaining illegal property benefits.
Thus, in December 2008, Duško Knežević made a decision to transfer the 1.000.000 euros that are in the account "Global Karbon" with IBM Bank and come from the founding contribution paid by the founder of IBM Bank, to the account of the non-resident legal entity "Mega Gulf Investemnts Holdings Limited", with Atlas Bank in Moscow for the purpose of closing the loan that this legal entity has with Atlas Bank in Moscow, whose repayment term has expired.
The basis for the aforementioned money transfer is the contract on the alleged purchase and sale of carbon credits, which will not happen. It was agreed that "Mega Gulf" will purportedly buy carbon credits in the name and for the account of "Global Carbon", which contract served as the basis for the realization of the aforementioned monetary transaction.
The transfer order was filled out by Bašović, certified by her signature, and transferred funds in the amount of one million euros from the account of "Global Karbon" to the account of "Mega Gulf".
The indictment also mentions the loans arranged by Knežević, when, in order to realize the criminal plan, he made the decision that IBM Bank approve a loan to "Global Karbon" in the amount of EUR 500.000, and that the means of securing the repayment of the loan will be a deposit of "Global Karbon" in in the amount of EUR 500.000, which, without the decision of the founder of IBM Bank, will be given from the founding role of that legal entity which was paid by IBM Bank to the legal entity "Global Karbon".
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