Opposition DS leader files charges against security service chief

DS leader Srdjan Milivojevic MP said he filed the charges against BIA chief Vladimir Orlic (a senior official of the ruling SNS) for exerting pressure during the elections for members of the Council. Supreme Public Prosecutor Zagorka Dolovac said at a meeting of the Council that she had confirmation that some prosecutors had meetings at the BIA prior to the repeat of the vote for the new Council and were told to vote for certain candidates who she did not name.

The High Prosecutorial Council is supposed to be an independent state body securing the independence of the Supreme Public Prosecutor, Chief Public Prosecutors and public prosecutors in general. Prosecutors voted for its new members late in December but the vote was repeated in some places where complaints were filed and the Constitutional Court ruled that the vote should be re-staged. Independent observers and the opposition allege is an attempt by the regime to take control of the Council.

Milivojevic said the whole thing was an assault on constitutional order.