Companies and people on US blacklist who took millions from Serbia's Kosovo budgets

Individuals and companies from the Serbian state budget of “of the United States, which were sanctioned by Washington due to allegations of international organised crime, receive millions from the Serbian state budget, a Radio Free Europe research shows.

US Finance Department sanctions, which were declared in December 2021 against 13 Kosovo citizens of Serbian nationality and over 20 companies linked to them, are not binding for other countries.

However, after publishing Washington's “blacklist”, companies took no jobs from the Government of Kosovo, but official Belgrade co-operates with them.

Serbia, which finances its parallel institutions in Kosovo, municipality, school and hospitals since the establishment of US sanctions until July of this year, gave one of these companies more than 20 jobs, worth over 7.5m euros.

The company in question is “Rad 028<18x1> by Zvecani municipality in northern Kosovo owned by Radule Steviq.

The name of Stevic's company is located on construction boards throughout Kosovo, along with Serbia's coat of arms.

For just one day, Stevic's company was entrusted with a job worth over 4m euros: construction of ten residential facilities in northern Mitrovica and two in Zvecan.

Both Steviq and his company are under US sanctions because of their alleged connection to Zvonko Veselinovic.

The United States labeled Veselinovic leader of a criminal organised group and one of the most notorious corruption figures in Kosovo, while Milan Radojchiqi as his deputy.

Companies owned by Zvonko Veselinovic and Milan Radoicqi, according to documents provided by Radio Free Europe, have contracted no jobs in Kosovo paid from Serbia's budget, neither money nor after US sanctions.

But in Serbia, even after these sanctions, they were given jobs worth millions of euros. Five contracts for repair of local roads southwest of Serbia were awarded to their company “Novi Pazar Put”, while “Betonerka Aleksinac” produces pillars for transmission lines for Serbia's state power power company.

Who are Veselinovic and Radoic?

Zvonko Veselinovic is a businessman from northern Kosovo, while Milan Radojic is deputy chairman of the Serbian List ʹ party of Serbs in Kosovo, which is supported by Serbia's current government. The Serbian list is in power in ten Serb majority Kosovo municipalities.

Radojevic is on the run from Kosovo authorities because of allegations of corruption, while Kosovo Interior Minister Jhelal Svecla has named him one of the leaders of criminal structures in northern Kosovo.

Kosovo's prosecutor links Veselinovic and Radoicchi with the murder of Serbian politician from Kosovo's north, Oliver Ivanovic. They have been mentioned as alleged masterminds of the criminal group, but no charges have been filed against them, since they were on the run at the time. Kosovo's law does not allow the raising of charges against fugitives, unless they have been investigated before.

The Serbian list has dismissed all charges against Radojic, while Radojciq himself has spoken of the Ivanovic case, saying he was not his best friend”, but that he “is not a murderer” and that “has nothing to do with the killing” of the politician.

From 10 euros to the first <x0 million” within one year

What can you do with a thousand dinars of Serbia, or about 10 euros?
With this initial capital, Stevic opened the construction company “Rad 028” in Zvecan in January 2014, data from Serbia's trade registry show.

And, just a year after establishing the company with modest capital, he began to win big tenders. In the greatest number of cases, the company “Rad 028” was the only one to appear in contests of Serbia's parallel structures in Kosovo.

Works, mainly in northern Kosovo, were paid from Serbia's budget. In 2015 alone, contracts worth nearly one million euros have been entered.

In the 2015 public procurement registry, in which REL has had access, there are valuable works of at least 950 thousand euros mostly in northern Mitrovica: from building residences in the Bosnjak Quarter, three houses and a children's nest to repairing student dormitory “Pristina”.

Businesses in Kosovo like it is regulated by the government of Serbia ʹ are free from tax on added value (TVSH), which amounts to 20 percent.

Stevic didn't respond to calls, nor REL messages, with the question of how he made it from ten euros in capital to work for millions. Unre answerable are unofficial claims that Stevic is linked to Milan Radociqi and the Serbian List, and that tenders in northern Kosovo are manipulated.

Neither the Office for Kosovo of the Government of Serbia and the four municipalities from the north of Kosovo, which are part of Serbia's parallel institutions, answered the question about the tenders.

“Rad” works for state of Serbia, contracts increase

Company revenues “Rad” and contracts with the state of Serbia continued to increase in the years ahead.

According to an analysis of Radio Free Europe, the company, from 2016 to 2019, has been negotiating agreements worth at least 8.5m euros with parallel institutions in Kosovo, operating in the Serbian system.

That each year was the best “” testified to by the annual balances of those contracts worth 573 thousand euros in 2016 at work of 5.2m euros in 2019, the data provided by Serbia's Public Procurement Office for Free Radio Europe show.

The student centre “Pristina” in northern Mitrovica has been one of the key projects during those four years, with investments of over 685 thousand euros, while “Rad” has received additional contracts from repairing roads in northern Kosovo and building apartments to procurement of university computer equipment.

In December 2019, “Rad” has also been entrusted to the construction of a football stadium in North Mitrovica .6m euros worth of contract.

That year, the head of the city's football club, Trepca, has been Milan Radojic, as has the Kosovo Football Federation in the Serbian system.

On September 26th, 2019, Radoic was replaced by Goran Rakiq (then head of the Northern Mitrovica municipality and chairman of the Serbian List) at the head of the Trepca club. While, on November 28th that same year, Radoic also left the Football Federation.

The completion of the stadium's construction, according to local official Aleksandar Spiric, is scheduled for the first half of 2022. But at the site of the next stadium, there is actually an excavator who cleans a meadow. There is no Stadium.

Business “lands” during the coronary pandemic

Coronervirus ' pandemic has apparently not slowed the growth of Stevicz's company. The financial report of “Rad 028” for 2020, which was handed over to the Agency for the Business Registers of Serbia, shows an inflow of more than 15m euros.

And, the data from Serbia's Treasury Administration, analysed by the REL, shows that at the time the company's biggest client was the state of Serbia. In 2020, the company was paid at least 13.3m euros from the Serbian state ark.

According to official data, “Rad 028” has averaged 17 employees that year.
Seven contracts with municipalities in northern Kosovo -- from Serbia's budget -- have been linked even during the state of emergency in Serbia, announced due to the coronary pandemic, in March-May 2020, respectively.

What contracts were signed in 2020?

In addition, “Rad 028” has engaged in building houses in Zubin Potok, an elementary school in Dren, a siege north of Mitrovica, and repairing local roads.

In the same year, after the end of the state of emergency, “Rad” has also been entrusted with the mobilization of student dormitories in Leshak, the construction of four-story objects north of Mitrovica, the new bridge over the Iber River, and a church at the cemetery in Rudar Grand, as well as the provision of equipment for the Duboki Potok Monastery.

Due to pandemic, there has been a need for another facility for PCR tests at the Health Center in northern Mitrovica. This job, worth 100 thousand euros, has been won by the company “Rad” without competition.

Over 60 contracts worth at least 20m euros is Stevick's business balance with Serbia's state during 2021, before the United States impose sanctions against him on December 8th.

What contracts were made in 2021?

From the “Rad 028”, Serbian institutions in northern Kosovo have made different purchases: fidans, building materials for home renovations, tractors, office furniture and equipment for beekeepers and wine.

The company is also engaged in the asphalt of local roads and the construction of homes and power networks in northern Kosovo, in building a bridge over Iber in the village of Dren, while in northern Mitrovica it has contracted the construction of seven residential facilities, the new university headquarters, the reconstruction of the physical medical building at the hospital complex, and completion of the “Interactivative Interactival Centre”.

From imposing sanctions until July 2022, in addition to the million-dollar housing contracts, “Rad” has contracted more than 20 jobs.
These, among other things, include the renovation of the nurses in Socanica, of the sports centre in Zubin Potok, of the garden at Badovc's residence and the purchase of aggregations for the health centre in northern Mitrovica.

“Rad” has also received money from Kosovo budget

Radule Stevic has also received money from the Government of Kosovo budget for projects, through two companies opened in the Kosovo system: “Rad D.O.O.” and “P. T. P Rad”, data from 2018 to 2021, analyzed by Radio Free Europe.
During this period, these two companies have linked 70 contracts with Kosovo Government institutions for projects in northern Kosovo, worth about sevenm euros.

The tenders have been declared mainly from municipalities in the north .C., respectively, institutions that are integrated into the Kosovo system: Northern Mitrovica, Zvecan, Leposaviq and Zubin Potok.

The latest tender, Stevic, was won in September 2021, while after US sanctions, the Government of Kosovo has stopped working. The Ministry of Infrastructure has ruled out “Rad” from contracted work on maintaining national and regional roads.

While it has taken on work by the Government of Kosovo, the projects have been very similar to what Serbia has financed in the north: repair of local roads, construction of the power grid or construction on the main path of “Cral Petrit” in northern Mitrovica.
Both states have also financed works in primary schools “Sveti Sava” and “Branko Radicevicq” in northern Mitrovica and municipal buildings in Leposaviq and Zubin Potok.

The REL has failed to determine whether Stevics companies have been paid twice for the same projects from the budgets of Serbia and Kosovo. Neither the Office for Kosovo in the Government of Serbia nor the parallel municipal structures of Serbia in Kosovo have answered that question.

Until the publication of this text, neither the Government of Kosovo has answered the question about the tenders of “Rad”.

Veselinovic and Rad aiciq in business with state

In Serbia, machines under the leadership of Radojici and Veselinovic have done construction work for the state. Radio Free Europe has analysed their scheme and business.

It was October 2019 when “Betonerka Aleksinac”, a company in debt from southern Serbia, was made with new owners.

This bankrupt state company was purchased at the time by “Incorpo”, a construction company owned by Zvonko Veselinovic and his brother Zarko, as well as Milan Radojic.

With new owners, during 2020 and 2021, “Betonierka” has signed large contracts with the Serbian state and company revenues have begun to increase.
During 2019, the company had 325,000 euros in revenue, while by the end of 2020, revenues have increased to 1.4m euros.

Last year, when owners and the company were placed on the US blacklist, “Betonerka” had revenues of 2.1m euros.

In state tenders, “Betonerka Aleksinac” has not participated alone, but with a group of companies and has been the only bidder. Owners of these companies have been business partners of Veselinovic and Radojici before.
In the past two years, four construction jobs have been contracted with Serbia's Elektro-ditribution, the estimated price of which has been over 20m euros. The “Betonierka” company, as seen by documents, has been entrusted with the production of concrete pillars for transmission lines.

Money for Local Roads southwest of Serbia

“Betonerka Aleksinac” is among the five companies of Veselinovici and Radoiciki, founded in Serbia, which are under US sanctions from December 2021.

On the blacklist is also “Novi Pazar Put”, a construction company that has also been hired by Serbia's institutions. From the establishment of US sanctions until July 2022, this company has won at least five contracts -- Novi Pazar, Tutin, Banja Luka and Kraleva.

Its most valuable work, of 1.8m euros, is the construction of the ring around Novi Pazar, which is contracted by the public company “Putevi Srbije”.

According to data from the business register, the company's 2021 business revenues have been 42.6m euros.

Radoichiq and Veselinovic have bought the company “Novi Pazar Put” in January 2020 and, at the end of that year, the company has received 27.4m euros in revenues. With the new owners, incomes have increased by over 50 percent (US million euros), compared to 2019.

In the year that the Veselinovic brothers and Radojciq have become owner of the company, “Novi Pazar plot” has signed millions of contracts with the Serbian state, among other things, for the maintenance of local roads in Banja Vunjacka, Tutin and Novi Pazar.

The most valid contract was made with the town of Kraleva, worth 2.6m euros, for the construction of roads at the “Vocret Livade”, where residences are being built for members of security forces.

Building these dwellings, as outlined by a special law in Serbia, is part of a “project important for strengthening the national security system”.
In November 2020, “Novi Pazar Put” and a group of companies have won the tender from Serbia's Ministry of Economy, worth 304 thousand euros, for repairing the local road in Kopanik.

This road also leads to the “Grey” hotel in Kopanik, which is owned by Veselinovic and Radojchiqi.

The rocks, in which Radociq and the Veselinovic brothers are part of, have also been involved in work with the state. The stonebreakers are part of the construction company “Granit-fisher”. REL has reported since February 2020 that the company has violated regulations and has continued to work, despite the ban by inspectors.

The investigation has also found how “Gestranit-weightcar” has provided construction materials for construction of the Belgrade International Highway section South Adriatic (Corridor 11).

REL has tried to contact Radojchiqiqi via the Serbian List and its lawyer in Kosovo, Zivojin Jokanovic, but without success.

REL questions about the works of Radojchi and Veselinovic have not been answered either by the Serbian List, nor by <x40>Betonerka Aleksinac”, nor by “Novi Pazarput”, nor by “Incope”.

By the government of Serbia, they have also not answered the question of whether they have considered cutting contracts with companies and individuals from the US blacklist.

From Serbia's ark, 2.5m euros for restaurant and freight homes

The quality you deserve” is the slogan that uses the house of goods “Metal” from northern Kosovo ) owned by Sinisa Nedelkovicki to be introduced to social networks.
Nedelkovq, who is under US sanctions due to alleged ties with Zvonko Veselinovic, also faces charges in Kosovo.

The prosecution in Mitrovica has announced about REL is accused of attempted murder, unauthorized drug production and sale and unauthorized possession of weapons against Nedelkovic.

REL has failed to contact Nedelkov. In messages exchanged with REL, his son, Stefan, has said his father is “out of the country” and that he will submit REL's request. There was no other answer.

While Kosovo authorities accuse him of serious crimes, in the Serbian system Sinisa Nedelkovic is an entrepreneur whom a representative of authorities from Belgrade once visited. The Serbian list has not answered the REL question if he is a member.

The media has been presented as the owner of the first goods house in northern Kosovo, following the 1999 war.

A “Metal” store is in Zvecan, in a three-story building in the centre, while the other is in the centre of North Mitrovica. Nedelkovic also owns the holiday hall on the last floor of Zvecan and restaurant “M”.

According to data from Serbia's trade registry, Nedelkovic started his business in 2000, with the opening of the equipment store “Metal” in Zvecan. Five years later, the company “Metal-rona red D.O.O” was established, with initial capital of about 400 euros.

REL has analysed the payments of institutions, which are financed from Serbia's budget, on the accounts of Nedelkovic's company over the past ten years from 2012 to the end of 2021.

For these ten years, according to Serbia's Treasury Administration, Nedelkovic's company “Metal-Redroan” has been paid at least 2.5m euros from Serbia's budget.

The house of goods “Aleksandar Vulin, that world minister for Kosovo in Serbia's government, while today the country's interior minister.

In 2013, the house of goods “Metal” has received about 70,000 euros from the accounts of parallel Serbian institutions in Kosovo, while the following year this amount has risen dramatically to over 600 thousand euros.

One of Serbia's most successful business years with Sinisa Nedelkovqi was 2019. At the time, it has been paid slightly less than 450,000 euros from Serbia's state accounts. Total revenues from the company's business “Metal” that year have been 3.7m euros, according to data from Serbia's trade registry.

Last year, the company has received over 85,000 euros from Serbian state institutions, and more than 20 payments have been made following the deployment of US sanctions against Nedelkovic and his company.

Who else is on the sanctioned list?

In addition to the brothers Zvonko and Zarko Veselinovic and Milan Radoicqi, as well as the renowned entrepreneurs Radule Steviq and Sinisa Nedelkovic, there are eight others under US sanctions.

Also on the list is Zelko Boyic, former chief of Kosovo Police Officer for the north, who by the Kosovo Special Prosecutor linked to the murder of politician Oliver Ivanovic.

Another sanctioned person, Marko Roshic, is among the accused in the case of Ivanovic's murder, which is being tried before the court in Pristina.

The U.S. Treasury Department has named six other associates who worked for Veselinovic or in his name: Andrija Boyic, Srdjan Vullovic, Milan Mihajlovic, Milan and Milojko Radisavevicq and Radovan Radic.

It adds that Veselinovic's criminal group is allegedly involved in a broad bribe scheme, along with security officials in Kosovo and Serbia, which facilitates the illegal trade of goods, money, narcotics and weapons between Kosovo and Serbia.