Vucic denies claims of forcing minister to appoint state secretary

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Thursday denied claims by a former high-ranking police officer that he forced former Internal Affairs Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic to appoint a woman alleged to have connections to an organized crime group.

Former Serbian police officer Milan Dumanovic told this week’s issue of Belgrade weekly NIN that Vucic forced Stefanovic to appoint Dijana Hrkalovic as his ministry state secretary, a post ranking just under that of minister. Dumanovic added that Hrkalovic was dismissed from the post at the request of US law enforcement agencies allegedly because she was assisting the Kavacki crime clan in its battle with rivals.

Vucic told reporters that he laughed when he saw the cover of NIN, adding that he has to put up with all kinds of lies. The claim was also denied by Stefanovic who said that he appointed Hrkalovic. “Vucic never forced anyone on me. The personnel choices were my own,” he said.

“I know that Hrkalovic went to see Vucic every day in January 2017 when he was prime minister and that was recorded at the entrance. Vucic forced Hrkalovic onto Stefanovic but she did build up a relationship with the minister later,” Dumanovic is quoted as saying. He said that he does not know why she constantly went to see Vucic in his cabinet but added that they were in constant touch. He said the problem appeared late in May 2019 following a meeting in Washington. “That was when Stefanovic, the commander of the Special Anti-Terrorist Unit (SAJ) Spasoje Vulovic and Criminal Police Department (UKP) chief Dejan Kovacevic met with US law enforcement agencies who wanted Hrkalovic out of the police. The German services also knew what she was doing,” he said and added that she was allegedly “taking part in the clash between the Kavacki and Skaljarski crime clans giving the former information about members of the Skaljarski clan who were killed in other countries”. She was dismissed right after the Washington meeting when Stefanovic went to see Vucic and was told that she had to go. “Dijana tried to reach out to the Vucic brothers but they broke off all communication with her,” Dumanovic said.

According to Dumanovic, Hraklovic and Stefanovic have amassed evidence against Vucic which is why they haven’t been arrested. Dumanovic is facing trial for revealing official secrets after filing criminal charges against Internal Affairs Ministry officials.

Teme