Kankaraš: The work of the Berane ODT can be called encouraging for wood thieves

The work of the Basic State Prosecutor's Office (ODT) in Berane can be called encouraging for loggers, and only based on the documentation in my possession and that of the State Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Andrija Delić, announced Ranko Kankaraš, Head of the Directorate for Forestry at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management.

He said this in response to yesterday's statement from the Berane ODT, in which the prosecutor's office stated that Kankaraš's claims made in "Vijesti" on September 3rd in the article titled: "Kankaraš: Attack on Delić is a consequence of the prosecution's inaction, our security is at risk."

Kankaraš told "Vijesti" that the ODT revealed its inaction with the denial.

He pointed out that the facts best speak about the ODT's inaction, such as criminal charges for illegal logging in the town of Rujište and other locations.

"The criminal report against Rujište was filed at the end of last year, and the prosecution only conducted the investigation in July of this year. There has been no further information regarding the complainants," Kankaraš told "Vijesti".

He pointed out that they understood that Kaludra could not react due to the snow, and that that was okay.

"However, forests in Berane have been disappearing for the last 20 years," Kankaraš said.

He called on the Berane Public Prosecutor's Office to announce how many indictments it has filed so far against forestry companies, as well as how many indictments it has against responsible persons in the Forestry Administration (managers and assignors).

"And we will find data on how many reports were submitted by forestry and police inspectors. We ask the prosecution specifically, when they talk about their promptness, whether they know where the seized timber of more than 1.000 cubic meters from the 'Gojković' warehouse was stolen, which directly indicates the involvement of the management of the Forestry Administration? We all know that the Gojković company only performed work. Did they seize the timber until the end of the procedure from the sawmill where many more fictitious orders were found, which also indicates the management of the Forestry Administration? That material should have been seized until the end of the procedure, and then treated as seized state property," said Kankaraš, adding that the Berane ODT should bear responsibility for the aforementioned "omissions" which they will point out to the Higher State Prosecutor's Office.

Kankaraš asked for a "face-to-face" review of the cases they were working on - how people were acquitted of pure crimes, and the question was whether any decisions were made to dismiss criminal charges at all.

"We are saying all this because our entire forests have disappeared, individuals have become terribly rich, and we have almost no verdicts. It is enough to look at the forests in Berane from the air or let them come with us into the field to do the work they are paid to do together. Thousands of hectares of missing forests - ours, theirs, and the citizens of Berane. Instead of empty, stereotypical statements, let them deliver results, and we will cooperate and defend them from criminals too, is our message! And until then, it is ours to doubt their sincerity and dedication to this problem," Kankaraš said.

The owner of the "Gojković" warehouse, Vasilije Gojković, and his son Nemanja verbally and threateningly attacked Delić and Kankaraš on September 3, "Vijesti" reported at the time, citing sources from the Police Directorate (UP). The Gojkovićs were not arrested that day, but were released home because the prosecutor on duty at the Basic State Prosecutor's Office in Berane, Amra Suljković, requested that "the case be submitted for assessment and opinion."

In a statement to the Berane police on September 3, Delić said, among other things, that a person who introduced himself as Vasilije asked him "should I give you money to leave me alone?"

On the same day, Kankaraš, also in a statement to the Berane police, said that the attack on Delić was a consequence of the prosecution's inaction, and that their safety was at risk.