FORMER MANAGEMENT BOARD CHAIRMAN TESTIFIES IN RIJECKA BANKA CASE

RIJEKA, April 12 (Hina) - Ivan Stokic, a former chairman of the Rijecka Banka's management board, testified before the Rijeka County Court in the case against bank employees Eduard Nodilo and Snjezana Podobnik who, according to the Croatian National Bank, caused almost 100 million US dollars damage to the bank. #L# Investigating judge Sajonara Culina said Stokic testified about the bank's transactions in London involving large amounts of money, about which he was informed for the first time on February 27, 2002. He received more detailed information on March 6, when Nodilo, the then bank's chief dealer, spoke about the bank's large loses by telephone with Borislav Perozic, a former management board member, who, in turn, informed Stokic about the conversation. According to Stokic, an internal investigation was launched as soon as an English bank sent its list of transactions with Rijecka Banka. Based on the list, the bank's accounts could be established and compared, Culina said. The investigation and further testimonies will continue next week. In order to reconstruct events in Rijecka Banka, the Croatian National Bank will engage foreign forensics experts next week. (hina) lml sb