RHMZ Director Nikolic Stays Silent, Detention Sought

Jugoslav Nikolic (71), director of the Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia (RHMZ), used his right not to present a defense at a hearing before the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade. His wife Olga N. (71) and son Djordje N. (46) did the same, and prosecutors have asked the pretrial judge of the Higher Court in Belgrade to order detention for all three. Their ages come from a statement by the Interior Ministry.

Nikolic was arrested on Tuesday, November 3, in an operation by the Anti-Corruption Service of the Criminal Police Directorate, on the order of the Special Department for Combating Corruption of the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office. We reported on the arrest earlier today. The Interior Ministry said the suspects were held for up to 48 hours, after which they were brought before the competent prosecutor.

Prosecutors seek detention on three grounds: risk of flight, the possibility of influencing witnesses, and the risk that the suspects would repeat the offense in a short time. The pretrial judge decides on detention.

What are the suspects accused of?

They were questioned on suspicion that between November 2019 and November 2024, in Belgrade, Cacak, Uzice, Bajina Basta and Montenegro, they transferred and converted assets worth at least 650,000 euros, knowing the assets came from criminal activity and intending to conceal their illegal origin. The Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade said in a statement:

“The suspects are charged with the criminal offense of money laundering, and Jugoslav N. is also charged with the criminal offense of failing to report assets and income or providing false information about assets and income.”

Nikolic faces the second charge because, according to the statement, he did not file reports with the Anti-Corruption Agency on significant changes in his assets, although as a public official he was required to under Article 69 of the Law on Prevention of Corruption. Prosecutors tie the charge of failing to report assets to Article 101 of the same law.

How much money is involved, and where did it go?

According to prosecutors, the suspicions are as follows:

• Jugoslav N. paid 41,878,195 dinars, 43,150 euros and 44,760 Swiss francs in cash into his accounts at one bank, money with no basis in his income, and then bought real estate in Belgrade, Uzice and Montenegro. Danas reports the deposits as made from 2019 to 2021, while Vreme writes about a period of five years.
• Olga N. transferred at least 227,548 euros between June 2021 and 2023 to buy several apartments, a garage space and business premises in Cacak and Montenegro.
• Djordje N. transferred at least 1.5 million dinars in June 2021 to buy an apartment in Montenegro.

November 2024 is a separate point of suspicion. Prosecutors say Jugoslav N. and Olga N. concluded a contract on the transfer and division of property during their lifetime, on November 22, 2024 before a notary public in Cacak and on November 28, 2024 in Montenegro. Under it they handed their son Djordje N. ownership rights to several apartments, garage spaces and cadastral plots, as well as one set of business premises. Prosecutors treat that transfer as an act of money laundering too, on suspicion that they knew the property came from criminal activity.

These are grounds for suspicion only, and the guilt of none of the three suspects has been established.