Vojvodina Social Policy Secretary Arrested Over 131m-Dinar Child Grants

Police in Novi Sad on Thursday, 5 November, detained Predrag Vuletić, Vojvodina's provincial secretary for social policy, demography and gender equality, and the chair of his secretariat's grant commission, on suspicion of abuse of office. The Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Novi Sad said the two are suspected of causing damage of 130.9 million dinars (about 1.1 million euros) to the provincial budget.

What prosecutors allege

According to the prosecution's statement, the money came from non-repayable grants meant for families in which a third or fourth child was born, to help them solve housing needs or improve living conditions. Prosecutors say the grants for 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 went to recipients who did not meet the basic condition of the call — the birth of a third and/or fourth child — and that the suspects thereby obtained unlawful gain for other people. The case is classed as a prolonged criminal offence of abuse of official position.

Both suspects can be held for up to 48 hours and are to be questioned by the Special Anti-Corruption Department of the Novi Sad prosecutor's office. They have not been charged, and no response from them or their lawyers had been published by Friday morning.

Police at the provincial pension fund

On the same afternoon, police entered the building of the Provincial Pension and Disability Insurance (PIO) Fund in Novi Sad, Danas reported, citing an employee of the fund. Neither the police nor prosecutors have explained the operation. Danas said most staff were sent home while the director and IT staff stayed, and Nova reported a separate police visit to the PIO office in Bačka Palanka. Media reports about what was being investigated have not been officially confirmed.

Part of a wider wave of investigations

The arrests follow a series of corruption cases opened since the October election, including the detention of the head of the national weather service and of senior criminal police officers. No comment from the provincial government had been reported by Friday morning. Vojvodina's assembly met on Thursday to debate a revised provincial budget of 59.69 billion dinars.