Opposition claims Telekom Srbija debt reaches 7 billion euros, alleges political media control

Marinika Tepić, vice-president of the Party of Freedom and Justice (SSP), stated that Telekom Srbija's debt has climbed to seven billion euros. She accused the government of transforming the state-owned telecommunications company into an instrument for political media control. Tepić asserted that relevant institutions have ignored her warnings for the past six years regarding alleged corrupt dealings within Telekom Srbija. She claims the company has been used to finance the ruling party's media dominance and suppress competition, citing the acquisitions of operators, television stations, and cable systems, including Prva and B92, as examples. Tepić recalled being physically attacked in 2020 after a press conference outside Telekom Srbija's headquarters. She also attempted to present then-Republic Public Prosecutor Zagorka Dolovac with a contract between Telekom and Igor Žeželj's company, valued at nearly 38 million euros, but claims it was refused. The SSP official emphasized that she presented evidence, including contracts, figures, and names, to support her claims that Telekom operates solely for the political control of media for the benefit of the ruling party and its associates. Tepić called on the responsible institutions, the company's management, and supervisory bodies to investigate all the allegations she has raised over the years.

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Today, Telekom's debt is counted at seven billion euros, and the question is no longer whether I exaggerated, but why no one wanted to hear what I was presenting with documents in hand for six years. Because I wasn't presenting impressions, but evidence: contracts, figures, amounts, names, how the state Telekom works exclusively in the interest of political control of the media for the party and its cronies.