Corruption investigation in Moravče: kitchen, construction work and jobs as bribes
Police suspect that in exchange for business contracts and official acts of the local authority body, the accused received gifts in the form of a kitchen, construction work and jobs. Mayor Balažic denies wrongdoing.
Police: 42 house searches, two detentions and suspicion of corruption in Moravče municipality
Criminal investigators from the Ljubljana Police Directorate carried out an extensive operation in Moravče on Thursday, conducting 42 house searches at 20 natural persons, six legal entities and a local authority body, according to rtvslo.si. Two persons were deprived of their liberty, who were released after questioning before an investigating judge on Sunday. A formal investigation had already been initiated against one suspect.
Mitja Bartolme, head of the economic crime department at the Ljubljana Police Directorate, explained at an afternoon press conference that the investigation began in 2024. "It was established that multiple interconnected suspects committed criminal acts in the course of business cooperation involving a local authority body and a larger number of legal and natural persons," Bartolme said. Based on the evidence gathered, criminal investigators reasonably suspect that the suspects received various forms of gifts in exchange for concluding business contracts and adopting official acts — the supply and installation of a high-end kitchen, construction and crafts work on building a residential house, and jobs for which there are grounds to suspect they had no actual work content.
Employment and contracts as counter-services
Bartolme described the suspicion in more detail: in exchange for building and fitting out a residential house and its surroundings, an employment contract was allegedly concluded for a natural person in a senior position in the local authority body. As a counter-service for the adoption of an official act of the authority, a service agreement was allegedly required to be concluded with another natural person at an economic company, in whose favour the act was allegedly adopted. Similarly, a kitchen was allegedly supplied and other work carried out on building and fitting out the residential house for the same reason. Police also stated that gifts of higher value were received as counter-service for the conclusion of a concession agreement between the local authority body and a legal entity.
Police did not disclose the names of the suspects. Unofficially, Moravče mayor Robert Balažic was arrested, as was Termit company director Anton Serians.
Mayor: charge is "fabricated mess"
Balažic was released on Sunday morning after questioning. At a press conference in Moravče, he claimed that the criminal charge contained "countless fabrications, untruths and slanders". "There has been some miscarriage of justice and an attempt at political lynching," he said, describing the charge as "empty and based on bar gossip with the clear aim of destroying the mayor's public image". According to his account, it is a "fabricated mess put together by local politics with the help of part of the deep state".
Balažic claimed that "police operatives" acted on the basis of information from former Moravče mayor Martin Rebolja and former deputy mayor Roman Cerarja. "Both lost to me twice in a row in fair democratic elections," he said, estimating that they decided to pursue prosecution because they have no chance of being elected in this year's local elections.
Kitchen, paving stones and partner's contract
Regarding the specific charges, Balažic denied that he had received a kitchen in exchange for a change to the spatial plan in Termit's favour. He explained that he had submitted all invoices for four years of house construction to the anti-corruption commission. The high price of the kitchen surprised him, so he asked his friend Anton for a loan. "I have not yet repaid it, but I have started to pay it back," he said.
Regarding the disputed paving stones, he explained that he had partially paid for them and that invoices exist for all work. He confirmed that former deputy mayor Jurij Kočar, chairman of the local Freedom party branch, had helped establish contacts with state officials. "Anyone who understands politics and the local self-government system knows that we municipalities go to Ljubljana for various approvals and documents. It is good to have someone who opens some doors for you," he said.
Regarding allegations about employment, he explained that his partner Nina Krajnik is not employed at Termit, but helped the company at its request under contract on Francophone markets. Regarding Termit, he added that after initial disputes they signed a cooperation protocol, with which they managed to put the company's business "within the framework of the law" after six months of negotiations.
Description of detention
Balažic described events from Thursday onwards. He was deprived of his liberty early in the morning. "I was in criminal investigator processing for 15 hours, during which time they ransacked my kitchen, and my lawyer prevented them from excavating the courtyard and removing the paving stones," he said. In the evening he was taken to the detention centre in Moste. "At night I had a panic attack, only after several hours when I received medical treatment and tranquilisers was I able to sleep," he continued.
On Friday he was taken in shackles before an investigating judge of the Ljubljana district court, who ordered a further 48 hours of detention. He was then placed in a prison cell at Povšetova. On Sunday morning he was released after questioning.
Balažic emphasised that all of this happened to a person whose guilt has not been proved. He called on the government to reform the institutions of the rule of law and humanise the detention system for suspects where there is no evidence for the alleged acts. He completely denied wrongdoing: "I do not approve of corruption, I led the municipality in accordance with all laws."
Source: Google News SI — Crime (sl)