Serbian Official: 90s Criminals Controlled by State, Now State Controlled by Criminals

Momir Stojanović, former director of Serbia's Military Security Agency, asserts a stark shift in the country's power dynamics, stating, "In the nineties, criminals were under the control of the authorities, and now the authorities are under the control of criminals."

Stojanović further contends that while Slobodan Milošević's government may have faced criticism, its influence over the judiciary was minimal compared to the current situation. He highlighted the case of Veselin Milić, the former head of the Belgrade police, as a prime example of the deep criminalization within Serbian society and the compromised independence of the judiciary.

"The case of Veselin Milić most starkly illustrates the extent to which our society is criminalized," Stojanović told N1. He questioned why the organized crime prosecution did not handle the case, instead leaving it to the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade. He also raised concerns about the 24-hour delay before Milić was brought in for questioning after the incident at the restaurant "27," suggesting this time might have been used to arrange a cover-up.

Stojanović described the prosecutor's office decision to drop charges against Milić for aiding in the concealment of evidence as "scandalous." He noted that the investigation is now focusing on whether Milić failed to report individuals who committed the crime, a lesser offense. The prosecutor's decision was based on surveillance footage and phone records, despite initial findings suggesting Milić had called the suspect to the restaurant.