Deputy Prime Minister for social activities and human rights, Boris Milosevic, has tendered his resignation following unofficial reports that he is a suspect in a case involving grant incentives, Independent Democratic Serb Party (SDSS) leader, Milorad Pupovac, said on Monday in an interview with N1.

“We haven’t had all the meetings, we don’t even have all the information yet, but based on what we have, Milosevic has our trust and will continue to enjoy it because he is a man of trust,” Pupovac said. “Milosevic is an honourable man of exceptional moral qualities. He certainly knows what is best for him, the government and his party. That’s why he tendered his resignation to the prime minister.”

He did it out of his moral feeling and stand that the prime minister, the ruling majority, and he himself should assess what is politically best for the government in these circumstances, Pupovac added.

The USKOK anti-corruption office has said that it suspects that now former Construction Minister, Darko Horvat, in November and December 2018, while he was serving as minister of the economy, entrepreneurship and crafts, awarded 2.6 million kuna in grants to businesses in which he had a personal interest and to those for which he was asked to do so a number of times directly or indirectly, via his then aide Ana Mandac, by Milosevic, Regional Development and EU Funds Ministry state secretary Velimir Zunac, the director of the administration for assisted areas, Katica Miskovic, and former minister Tomislav Tolusic.

Horvat was arrested on Saturday on suspicion of abuse of office. He was relieved of duty as construction minister by the prime minister at his own request later that day.

Pupovac said on Monday they had yet to see the facts based on which Milosevic, a member of the SDSS, was accused and how the procedure would unfold, after which they would discuss everything.