Eight years since Stambolić murder

Today marks the eighths anniversary of kidnapping and murder of former Serbian President Ivan Stambolic. Stambolic was abducted in Belgrade, in the Kosutnjak Park, and then taken to Mt. Fruska mountain where he was killed. Eight years since Stambolic murder The former head of the Serbian presidency in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRJ) era was reported missing on August 25, 2000. He was last seen that day jogging in park. A parking lot guard claimed that Stambolic had been kidnapped by two men. Later, it was determined that the two men were members of the Special Operations Unit (JSO) Branko Bercek and Nenad Sare. The two dragged him into a white van and then drove away. The police did not immediately launch a missing persons investigation. No statements were issued about the case, even though the missing person in question once occupied Serbia's top office. It was only four years later, during Operation Saber, launched in the wake of Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic's assassination, that Stambolic’s remains were found. On March 27, 2003, Stambolic’s body was found in a pit on Mt. Fruska Gora. Four JSO members were arrested in connection to the murder. Their trial started on February 23, 2004, in the Special Department for Organized Crime of Belgrade’s District Court. The defendants were tried under a single indictment, that charged them with the murder of Stambolic and attempted murder of Vuk Draskovic in Budva. Former commander of the JSO Milorad Ulemek and members of his unit, controlled by the state security, DB, throughout the 1990s, Dusan Maricic, Nenad Bujosevic, Leonid Milivojevic, Nenad Ilic and Branko Bercek, as well as former DB chief Radomir Markovic and Milorad Bracanovic, were charged. The indictment stated that Ulemek, following the request by then Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, ordered the members of his group to kidnap and then kill Stambolic and to locate and murder Draskovic. The defendants pleaded not guilty to all counts of the indictment, and during the trial that lasted a year and a half, a great deal of material evidence was submitted to the court, and many witnesses, forensics, and proteceted witness Sare testified. The first degree verdict was read on July 18, 2005, by a trial chamber presided over by Judge Dragoljub Albijanic. Ulemek, Bercek, Maricic and Bujosevic were sentenced to 40 years in prison for murder and attempted murder, while Milivojevic got 15 years for aiding the killers. Markovic was sentenced to 15 years, while Bracanovic received a four-year term. The Supreme Court confirmed sentences to Ulemek and Bercek, while at the same time reducing those handed to Maricic, initially sentenced to 40 years in prison to 30, and Bujosevic from 40 to 35 years in prison. The Supreme Court confirmed the 15-year sentence to Markovic, while Bracanovic’s jailtime was reduced to two years. The Supreme Court rejected Ulemek’s and Bercek’s appeals in July 2007. Stambolic, once a close Milosevic ally and personal friend, was buried on April 8, 2003, at the Topcider cemetery in Belgrade, with highest state honors. A memorial in his honor was dedicated on October 29, 2005, on Mt. Fruska Gora. The ceremony was attended by members of his family, friends, associates and high ranking state officials.

Eight years since Stambolić murder

The former head of the Serbian presidency in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRJ) era was reported missing on August 25, 2000. He was last seen that day jogging in park.

A parking lot guard claimed that Stambolić had been kidnapped by two men. Later, it was determined that the two men were members of the Special Operations Unit (JSO) Branko Berček and Nenad Šare.

The two dragged him into a white van and then drove away.

The police did not immediately launch a missing persons investigation. No statements were issued about the case, even though the missing person in question once occupied Serbia's top office.

It was only four years later, during Operation Saber, launched in the wake of Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić's assassination, that Stambolić’s remains were found.

On March 27, 2003, Stambolić’s body was found in a pit on Mt. Fruška Gora. Four JSO members were arrested in connection to the murder.

Their trial started on February 23, 2004, in the Special Department for Organized Crime of Belgrade’s District Court. The defendants were tried under a single indictment, that charged them with the murder of Stambolić and attempted murder of Vuk Drašković in Budva.

Former commander of the JSO Milorad Ulemek and members of his unit, controlled by the state security, DB, throughout the 1990s, Dušan Maričić, Nenad Bujošević, Leonid Milivojević, Nenad Ilić and Branko Berček, as well as former DB chief Radomir Marković and Milorad Bracanović, were charged.

The indictment stated that Ulemek, following the request by then Yugoslav President Slobodan Milošević, ordered the members of his group to kidnap and then kill Stambolić and to locate and murder Drašković.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to all counts of the indictment, and during the trial that lasted a year and a half, a great deal of material evidence was submitted to the court, and many witnesses, forensics, and proteceted witness Šare testified.

The first degree verdict was read on July 18, 2005, by a trial chamber presided over by Judge Dragoljub Albijanić.

Ulemek, Berček, Maričić and Bujošević were sentenced to 40 years in prison for murder and attempted murder, while Milivojević got 15 years for aiding the killers.

Marković was sentenced to 15 years, while Bracanović received a four-year term.

The Supreme Court confirmed sentences to Ulemek and Berček, while at the same time reducing those handed to Maričić, initially sentenced to 40 years in prison to 30, and Bujošević from 40 to 35 years in prison.

The Supreme Court confirmed the 15-year sentence to Marković, while Bracanović’s jailtime was reduced to two years.

The Supreme Court rejected Ulemek’s and Berček’s appeals in July 2007.

Stambolić, once a close Milošević ally and personal friend, was buried on April 8, 2003, at the Topčider cemetery in Belgrade, with highest state honors.

A memorial in his honor was dedicated on October 29, 2005, on Mt. Fruška Gora. The ceremony was attended by members of his family, friends, associates and high ranking state officials.