Former Economy Minister Rade Basta was arrested on Tuesday by the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade. Authorities suspect him of defrauding Beogradske Elektrane, a public utility company, of approximately 120,000 euros during his tenure as its director. The prosecutor’s office confirmed that Basta is charged with abuse of his official position, while the current executive director of the utility faces charges for aiding and abetting the offence. Several legal representatives from sports clubs are also under suspicion for money laundering. The suspects will remain in custody for up to 48 hours before questioning begins.
The alleged scheme
The investigation centers on funds improperly channeled to various sports associations between 2020 and 2022. Prosecutors claim these donations were unjustified and served to divert public money away from the utility company. Basta has not issued any public comment regarding the specific allegations or the financial details involved in the case. His legal team has yet to address the charge of abusing his position while leading the organization. The amount of 120,000 euros represents a significant sum relative to typical operational budgets for such entities. This figure underscores the scale of the suspected fraud according to the initial prosecution statement. No other financial figures have been released by the authorities at this stage.
Political context and reaction
Basta served as Serbia’s Economy Minister from 2022 to 2023 within the government led by Aleksandar Vucic’s Serbian Progressive Party. He was dismissed after calling for sanctions against Russia due to "its aggression against Ukraine." Following his departure, he founded the European Way movement and recently applauded the defeat of the Serbian Progressive Party in last month’s parliamentary elections. In an interview with Serbian Times, he stated he long believed "the moment would come when citizens would no longer accept a policy of fear, pressure and control over institutions." His dismissal followed demands from United Serbia, the party that originally nominated him, which sought his removal from all positions after his remarks on Russia. The arrest adds a layer of legal complexity to his post-ministerial political activities. The prosecutor’s office noted that the case involves multiple suspects beyond Basta himself.
