"Today's activities are focused on collecting information and evidence because of the existence of reasonable doubt for committed crimes such as the abuse of power or trust in economic activities connected to the takeover of a company which has its headquarters in Ljubljana. Five persons have been taken into custody and will be detained until there are legal grounds for it," informs the General Police Directorate. The pre-trial investigation is led by the state prosecution.

TV Slovenija reports that the investigations are allegedly connected to the former Kolektor CEO Stojan Petrič. The details of the investigation are not yet known. Radio Slovenija reports that a number of physical and legal entities with suspicious businesses have unlawfully acquired around 3,2 million euros of material gain.

Several investigations of suspicious takeovers
Several years ago crime officers and prosecutors formed a special investigative team to review a number of businesses of the former head of the Kolektor Group, Petrič. The investigation has been extended abroad and includes tens of physical and legal entities.

Two years ago the Večer daily reported that the state prosecution and crime officers launched a joint investigation into suspected crimes of mass economic criminal offences supposedly perpetrated by Petrič through his businesses, especially with the privatization of Kolektor and the purchase of stocks from the Etra 33 company. In one his later interviews Petrič said that if he had not reacted, Etra would have fallen into the hands of Ukrainians.

G.C., A. Č.; translated by K. J.