Bishop's private business scrutinized

Bishop Artemije (FoNet)

25 August 2008 17:50 Source: B92
BELGRADE -- Reports say that Bishop Artemije offered former PM Vojislav Koštunica the services of his construction company in Kosovo.

The company, registerd as Rade Neimar, founded by the Serb Orthodox Church (SPC) Bishop Raško-Prizrenski Artemije, was established without its knowledge, the Church says.

The SPC found that the company conducted its business unlawfully, related to the reconstruction of the Serb churches and monasteries destroyed in Kosovo.

B92 came into possession of the company's financial report which states that the bishop in 2005 offered construction services to Serbia’s former Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica.

The report states that the construction, trade and services company was set up in 2003.

The SPC report says that during the same year the bishop’s eparchy signed a contract with Predrag Subotički, without the knowledge of the Church, which authorized him to represent the eparchy in all its businesses.

The document states that the company had not paid necessary taxes to the SPC, while the Bishop recommended his construction company to the state bodies.

But former minister for Kosovo and senior official of the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) Slobodan Samardžić says that insistence on this story is nothing but a diversion from the problems within the SPC that emerged recently.

Samardžić also denied any knowledge of the alleged offer to Koštunica Bishop Artemije made in November 18, 2005, related to the rebuilding of the damaged churches in Kosovo for EUR 1.25mn.

However, apart from wanting to conduct business with the Prime Minister, the bishop offered services of his company to the state owned enterprises, according to the document, including the time when Telekom Srbija hired Rade Neimar for laying of optical cables.

But Telekom has denied this allegation.

Two years ago, the bishop is said to have offered business cooperation then Infrastructure Minister Velimir Ilić, who has confirmed this.

In the meantime in Belgrade, Metropolitan Amfilohije today visited the ailing SPC Patriarch His Holiness Pavle in hospital.

A report on the Church's website says that he was accompanied by bishops Joanikije and Teodosije.

The latter is involved in a bitter dispute with Bishop Artemije, and is due in front of the Holy Synod tomorrow.

The highest SPC dignitaries will seek to resolve a controversy surrounding Artemije's decision to dismiss Teodosije as the head of the Dečani monastery in Kosovo.

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