"Secret services to blame for mistakes"

Secret services are to blame for protocol mistakes which lead to the assassination of PM Zoran Djindjic, Vladimir Vukosavljevic says. Vukosavljevic was Djindjic's long time head of security. "Secret services to blame for mistakes" He believes that the investigation into the political background of the assassination must investigate who among politicians took part in the campaign against the then PM. Seven years after the murder of Zoran Djindjic, his long time head of security Vladimir Vukosavljevic speoke for the first time for B92. After the attempted assassination of the PM near the Belgrade Arena, the next day he resigned from the position due to mistakes in securing the PM. For Vladimir Vukosavljevic, as he says, even seven years ago it was completely clear that the assassination was prepared from the top. According to him, the political background investigation should start from the then key people of secret services, but also from the people who lead a campaign against the PM. “The key for security are secret services. If they, up to this day, claim that they did not have information that something was about to happen, the answer is right there,” says Vukosavljevic. “Perhaps, they didn’t do their job well, they were incompetent, so they didn’t know. Because I guessed everything that was going to happen from the street so to say, and they who have a housand people around them knew nothing. They are either incompetent, or that was supposed to happen,” he said. “Back then, the deputy was Bracanovic, and the head of state security was Savic. That was the hierarchy,” reminded Vukosavljevic and added that people who lead the investigation should be asked why those people were not questioned. Milorad Bracanovic became deputy head of the service after the rebellion of the Special Operations Unit (JSO), as speculated, to enable JSO commandant Milorad Ulemek to control the service. Vukosavljevic says that he even talked to the PM about the security protocol mistakes. “I asked for equipment, a car for him, guns and more men,” said Vukosavljevic. He also added the response he received from Djindjic was, “Kid, you watched too many movies. The situation isn’t like that. Even if they kill me, they won’t change anything, this is already taking its course, so there is no reason to kill me.” Vukosavljevic says that the he willingly resigned after the attempted assassination near the Belgrade Arena, when a truck, driven by Dejan Milenkovic Bagzi, forced the PM’s car off the highway. As he says, even though he requested, he never received risk assessment of the the premier's security from the authorities. “After the Belgrade Arena attempted murder it was clear even to my seven year-old son, who listening to me realized what was going to happen. It’s sad that I say that I’m proud for doing what I did, because I tried in every possible way to indicate, point out and prevent what was about to happen. Me and my men are not responsible one bit because we were powerless,” says Vukosavljevic. The former head of Djindjic’s security was questioned during the police Operation Sabre in teh wake of the 2003 assassination. He thinks that his statement was sufficient and that is why the Organized Crime Prosecutor did not call him to testify. Vukosavljevic, who still works for the police, is the husband of the former disgraced Minister for Telecommunications Marija Raseta Vukosavljevic, who is accused of "spending" money the government allocated to the Belgrade Airport Terminal. The scene of the Djindjic assassination (FoNet, file)

"Secret services to blame for mistakes"

He believes that the investigation into the political background of the assassination must investigate who among politicians took part in the campaign against the then PM.

Seven years after the murder of Zoran Đinđić, his long time head of security Vladimir Vukosavljević speoke for the first time for B92. After the attempted assassination of the PM near the Belgrade Arena, the next day he resigned from the position due to mistakes in securing the PM.

For Vladimir Vukosavljević, as he says, even seven years ago it was completely clear that the assassination was prepared from the top. According to him, the political background investigation should start from the then key people of secret services, but also from the people who lead a campaign against the PM.

“The key for security are secret services. If they, up to this day, claim that they did not have information that something was about to happen, the answer is right there,” says Vukosavljević.

“Perhaps, they didn’t do their job well, they were incompetent, so they didn’t know. Because I guessed everything that was going to happen from the street so to say, and they who have a housand people around them knew nothing. They are either incompetent, or that was supposed to happen,” he said.

“Back then, the deputy was Bracanović, and the head of state security was Savić. That was the hierarchy,” reminded Vukosavljević and added that people who lead the investigation should be asked why those people were not questioned.

Milorad Bracanović became deputy head of the service after the rebellion of the Special Operations Unit (JSO), as speculated, to enable JSO commandant Milorad Ulemek to control the service. Vukosavljević says that he even talked to the PM about the security protocol mistakes.

“I asked for equipment, a car for him, guns and more men,” said Vukosavljević. He also added the response he received from Đinđić was, “Kid, you watched too many movies. The situation isn’t like that. Even if they kill me, they won’t change anything, this is already taking its course, so there is no reason to kill me.”

Vukosavljević says that the he willingly resigned after the attempted assassination near the Belgrade Arena, when a truck, driven by Dejan Milenković Bagzi, forced the PM’s car off the highway.

As he says, even though he requested, he never received risk assessment of the the premier's security from the authorities.

“After the Belgrade Arena attempted murder it was clear even to my seven year-old son, who listening to me realized what was going to happen. It’s sad that I say that I’m proud for doing what I did, because I tried in every possible way to indicate, point out and prevent what was about to happen. Me and my men are not responsible one bit because we were powerless,” says Vukosavljević.

The former head of Đinđić’s security was questioned during the police Operation Sabre in teh wake of the 2003 assassination. He thinks that his statement was sufficient and that is why the Organized Crime Prosecutor did not call him to testify.

Vukosavljević, who still works for the police, is the husband of the former disgraced Minister for Telecommunications Marija Rašeta Vukosavljević, who is accused of "spending" money the government allocated to the Belgrade Airport Terminal.