The fire in the business building where the Investment and Development Bank of Republika Srpska (IRB RS) is located is still in the public spotlight. The fire that broke out on May 1st at 3 a.m. also led to numerous rumors – whether the business was endangered and whether documents related to numerous credit scandals were destroyed, especially in the Bobar Bank case.
The investigation is ongoing. The cause of the fire is still unknown. The part of the building where the accounting sector is located suffered the most. The director of the IRB says that according to the information so far, the original documentation on the loans has not been destroyed.
“All our original documentation has been preserved. Absolutely all. All contracts that are mentioned by the public in their speculations exist in several places, both in the legal department and in the placement department, and the archives. Our archive is 100% undamaged, “ stated Drazen Vrhovac, acting Director of the IRB.
Vrhovac also stressed that the server room is undamaged and that the bills of exchange have been saved, which have been speculated to have been destroyed in the past couple of days. Due to numerous speculations and suspicions that the fire may have been set, the opposition also spoke out. They are asking for an urgent investigation.
“The reputation of the IRB has been damaged so much, the whole business has been connected to numerous scandals since its inception, and as soon as information about the fire appeared, because of that damaged reputation in the public, doubt appeared. The IRB was exposed to losses of 200 million BAMwhen the banks in RS failed, through direct placements that were not returned, “ pointed out the PDP deputy in the entity parliament Jelena Trivic.
Trivic added that a court epilogue of cases related to the IRB‘s operations is still pending, from the former director of this institution, Snjezana Vujinic (in the Bobar Bank case), to former Prime Minister Aleksandar Dzombic. And in such cases, the original documentation is often insisted upon.
“When criminal proceedings are conducted, the prosecutor’s office seizes certain documents necessary for conducting the proceedings even during the investigation. But, for cases that will be initiated in the future, there may be certain complications, ” noted lawyer Jovana Kisin.
Nevertheless, everyone notes that it is necessary to find out the cause of the fire in order to stop the rumors. The facility is still surrounded by yellow tape, police is in the field, as well as experts in explosions, accidents, and fires. The investigation is being conducted by the District Public Prosecutor’s Office in Banja Luka.
The fire in the building where the IRB is located caused great damage to property, but this financial institution says that all the damage in terms of business will be related to the lost week until the premises are renovated, Federalna writes.
E.Dz.
