Government Defends Serbian President from crime boss

Belivuk, the head of an organized crime group closely connected to Partizan FC supporter groups, was reported to have told prosecutors that he met with Vucic and his close associates who ordered him to take control of the Partizan supporter groups opposed to the authorities and prevent several protests. The KRIK investigative portal published what it said was a transcript of the interrogation on Thursday, saying that it confirmed Belivuk’s links to the regime.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said on Friday that Belivuk’s statements were meant to topple President Vucic “at any cost” with the opposition accepting the “psychopath and killer” as a partner. “The anxiety is huge because they see that the determination of the state in the fight which Vucic launched against this criminal group, one of the worst we have seen here,” she told the pro-regime TV Pink. She added that it is always the same people in the opposition, tycoons and their media and some NGOs who keep demanding Vucic’s resignation. She said an atmosphere is being created in which it would be completely alright if something happened to Vucic.
Her words were echoed by Finance Minister Sinisa Mali who said that a group of media tycoons, politicians and murderers always form a coalition prior to presidential elections “to return to power”. Presidential elections are planned to take place early in 2022. “They want to take Serbia back into the past because they don’t want a Serbia which is advancing,” he told TV Pink. He said that opposition Party of Freedom and Justice (SSP) leader Dragan Djilas doesn’t get to decide Serbia’s future, adding that “they want to return to power not at elections but by toppling Vucic”.

Defense Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic said that there isn’t an ounce of truth in what Belivuk told prosecutors, especially not the claim that he defended killers. Belivuk said that he was freed of murder charges in 2016 when Stefanovic was Internal Affairs Minister because evidence was lost and witness testimony altered. Some Serbian media said on Friday that Belivuk defended Stefanovic and attacked Vucic. The minister’s press release said that there is no need to defend Vucic from him, nor defend the two of them from the truth, adding that the Belivuk investigation was launched while he was police minister.

“Either you believe Belivuk and you can join the people who see all his lies as an opportunity to politically weaken the president or you don’t believe him which is the only right thing,” Stefanovic said and denied ever meeting Belivuk and his associate Marko Miljkovic.

Earlier, Stefanovic’s successor Internal Affairs Minister Aleksandar Vulin said that Belivuk’s defense was political and directed against the president.