BELGRADE (TASS) — Azeri ambassador to Serbia Eldar Hasanov has been detained in Belgrade, a Serbian diplomatic source told TASS Thursday.

“The information has been verified”, the source said, adding that a “money issue” was behind the detention.

In turn, the Azeri State Security Service pointed out that “financial inspection revealed valid suspicions of inappropriate use of significant budgetary funds and other law violations by Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina Eldar Hasanov […] In the course of the investigation, Eldar Hasanov was detained as a suspect.

It is also noted that the investigation continues.

Eldar Hasanov served as Azeri Prosecutor General in 1995-2000. In early July, the State Security Service carried out an anti-corruption operation in the Azeri Foreign Ministry, arresting a number of senior officials on counts of abuse of power and bribery.