Fmr President: Support to Vucic crashes democracy in Serbia

Speaking to reporters about the latest majority state-owned Telekom Serbia acquisition of the Kopernikus Technology, Tadic, who served as the telecommunications minister as well, said it was Vucic’s latest move to control media through that cable operator.

He has added that Telekom controls the infrastructure and that the law on telecommunications obliges it to share that infrastructure with other operators - mobile or cable systems which distribute media.

“I warn the European politicians that by supporting Vucic they are showing the greatest irresponsibility and crushing democracy in our country,” Tadic, who heads the opposition Social-Democratic Party (SDS), said.

He added that “Telekom Serbia uses almost 200 million Euros of taxpayers money not to invest in wide-range internet but to buy a cable system closely linked to the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS),” led by Vucic.

Tadic alleged that money would be transferred to unidentified off-shore companies and then end in the SNS members’ pockets.

He told reporters he was ready to testify before a court about enormous crimes which, according to him, were happening in Serbia.

Tadic also said that Vucic’s sole intention was to use the cable-distributive systems to exercise the pressure on media.

“That decision (to buy Kopernikus cable system) is in absolute disagreement with all European standards and procedures. Not a single provider in Serbia should have a monopoly neither on media nor the distribution of the media content,” Tadic said.

He added Vucic “once again accomplishes a strategic advantage for the future elections.”