Statement attributed to ambassador denied by U.S. embassy

Statement attributed to ambassador denied by U.S. embassy

"Ambassador Kirby did not state what is attributed to him in the said conversation," the embassy said in a brief response to B92's query on Wednesday.

According to the transcript, whose authenticity was confirmed by Pajtic, the DS leader said he was informed by Kirby that "Vucic's best man and Director of Elektromreze Srbije (EMS) Nikola Petrovic has been taking out two million euros for Vucic each month."

Pajtic said that the publication of the transcript meant he was being wiretapped and that the government would fall because of it "in any normal country," while Interior Ministe Nebojsa Stefanovic said that the MUP and the BIA never eavesdropped on Pajtic or Udovicki, adding the case was "a campaign designed to bring down Aleksandar Vucic."

EMS Director Nikola Petrovic also reacted today, announcing he would file criminal charges "either against himself, or against Lidija Udovicki."

"If it is true that such a conversation was led and if Mrs. Lidija Udovicki really said what is stated in the transcript, I demand to be told the time, place and name of the person from whom I allegedly asked that, so I could file criminal charges against myself . Otherwise, I will file a complaint against Mrs. Udovicki for the criminal act of failing to report a crime," Petrovic said in a written statement.

He added he was "ready to take a lie detector test."