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Đilas: Telekom's Debt Reaches 7 Billion Euros Due to Political Marketing

Đilas: Telekom's Debt Reaches 7 Billion Euros Due to Political Marketing

From N1 Serbia · () Serbian

Translated from Serbian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Dragan Đilas, president of the Party of Freedom and Justice, stated that Telekom Srbija's debt has reached seven billion euros.
  • Đilas accused the government of using the state-owned company for political marketing and media influence, burdening citizens with the cost of these projects.
  • He called for the dismissal of Telekom's management and an investigation into alleged corruption.

Dragan Đilas, leader of the Party of Freedom and Justice (SSP), has accused the Serbian government of mismanaging state-owned company Telekom Srbija, driving its debt to seven billion euros. Đilas claims the company has been transformed into a tool for political marketing and media control, ultimately costing Serbian citizens.

The time has come to reveal the truth about how much this company has cost the policy of turning a state company into a tool for political marketing and the media influence of the authorities.

— Dragan ĐilasRegarding the alleged mismanagement and debt of Telekom Srbija.

He specifically criticized President Aleksandar Vučić and Telekom CEO Vladimir Lučić, alleging that funds were diverted to finance pro-Vučić media outlets, establish low-viewership television stations, and engage in "absurd" sports broadcasting deals. Đilas asserted that this alleged "robbery" has crippled one of the country's largest state enterprises.

Citizens must not pay the price for the political projects of the President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić and his obedient Telekom director Vladimir Lučić.

— Dragan ĐilasCriticizing the financial burden placed on citizens due to government policies.

Despite the government portraying Telekom as a success story with annual revenues of around 2.5 billion euros, Đilas stated that its debt has surged to historic levels. He argued that the company's focus was not on network modernization or service quality but on media expansion and acquisitions, financed by massive borrowing that future generations will have to repay.

Financing all pro-Vučić media, establishing a series of television stations with minimal viewership, absurd prices for sports broadcasts, robbery and kickbacks on every job have destroyed one of the two largest state companies.

— Dragan ĐilasDetailing alleged financial mismanagement and corruption within Telekom Srbija.

Đilas vowed that a new government would swiftly dismiss Telekom's entire leadership within its first seven days. He also called for prosecutors to launch an investigation and arrest all individuals involved in what he termed the "robbery of the century," encompassing both perpetrators and those who ordered the actions.

Therefore, one of the first moves of the new government will be to dismiss the entire management of Telekom within the first seven days, and for the prosecution to launch an investigation and order the arrest of all involved in the robbery of the century. Both the executors and the masterminds.

— Dragan ĐilasOutlining proposed actions against Telekom Srbija's leadership.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by N1 Serbia in Serbian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.