Balkans: April 16, 2003

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Several Serb sources reports that the Serbian Armys military courts are focusing on corrupt officers. The object is to restore integrity to the new Army of Serbia and Montenegro (VSOG). Of course, most of the corrupt officers now under investigation were closely tied to the Milosevic dictatorship (though not all of them are). Names have been named, including former Serb Army Chief of Staff, Nebojsa Pavkovic. A number of other generals, including General Gradimir Zivanovic, General Stamenko Nikolic, and General Branko Fezer are also under investigation. Embezzlement and theft appear to the be most common crime. Another crime several officers are charged with is misuse of military housing, which seems to involve selling favors and even getting kickbacks on property rental. Pavkovic was arrested by Serb police April 1 in a civilian investigation of organized crime.