“DB destroyed incriminating evidence”

Longtime State Security (DB) operative Zoran Stijovic has given B92 exclusive information on documents were destroyed by the DB after the democratic changes. Stijovic, who investigated the burning of DB documents, said that it had been done to protect people who were involved in various crimes. “DB destroyed incriminating evidence” His investigation finished in April 2001, but it was neither the DB or Interior Ministry ever made it public, nor was anyone every criminally prosecuted for the offenses. The story of the burning of documents, which was ordered by former DB chief Radomir Markovic and carried out by some of his closest colleagues, was made public in late 2004. Members of Zoran Djindjic’s government claimed that they had never heard of any such investigation, while officials of Vojislav Kostunica’s government at the time announced that there would be a swift investigation and criminal charges would be pressed. To this day, nothing had been done regarding the claims. DB officials claimed in 2001 that not everything had been burned and that there were still copies of the destroyed documentation. However, the operative that worked on the investigations, Stijovic, claims that the documents were completely destroyed. “The entire set of paperwork was destroyed. Microfilm documentation was also destroyed as was electronic and software data,” Stijovic said, adding that the stories that the microfilm and electronic data had been saved were not true. Then deputy DB chief Zoran Mijatovic claimed that there had not been enough time to press any criminal charges during the nine months he and Goran Petrovic headed the DB. “We did not get round to it, it was a huge job which required all the capacities of the service, and we were facing these things that we were talking about, and that was murder. We thought we would get to that later,” he said. It is estimated that more than 100 DB workers could have been criminally prosecuted, and their information can be found in the documentation collected by Stijovic. All the information on them was destroyed to protect everyone involved from criminal prosecution. “If the documents had not been destroyed, you could have seen what the service was up to, and whether they were protecting the country, or protecting individuals in the government and individuals who ran the government, who instrumentalized the service for their personal uses and gains. You could have seen that. You could have seen abuse and deviation,” Stijovic said. The fact that the documents were destroyed means that the opening of the DB files, which the public has been demanding for over eight years, has now become pointless.

“DB destroyed incriminating evidence”

His investigation finished in April 2001, but it was neither the DB or Interior Ministry ever made it public, nor was anyone every criminally prosecuted for the offenses.

The story of the burning of documents, which was ordered by former DB chief Radomir Marković and carried out by some of his closest colleagues, was made public in late 2004.

Members of Zoran Đinđić’s government claimed that they had never heard of any such investigation, while officials of Vojislav Koštunica’s government at the time announced that there would be a swift investigation and criminal charges would be pressed.

To this day, nothing had been done regarding the claims.

DB officials claimed in 2001 that not everything had been burned and that there were still copies of the destroyed documentation. However, the operative that worked on the investigations, Stijović, claims that the documents were completely destroyed.

“The entire set of paperwork was destroyed. Microfilm documentation was also destroyed as was electronic and software data,” Stijović said, adding that the stories that the microfilm and electronic data had been saved were not true.

Then deputy DB chief Zoran Mijatović claimed that there had not been enough time to press any criminal charges during the nine months he and Goran Petrović headed the DB.

“We did not get round to it, it was a huge job which required all the capacities of the service, and we were facing these things that we were talking about, and that was murder. We thought we would get to that later,” he said.

It is estimated that more than 100 DB workers could have been criminally prosecuted, and their information can be found in the documentation collected by Stijović. All the information on them was destroyed to protect everyone involved from criminal prosecution.

“If the documents had not been destroyed, you could have seen what the service was up to, and whether they were protecting the country, or protecting individuals in the government and individuals who ran the government, who instrumentalized the service for their personal uses and gains. You could have seen that. You could have seen abuse and deviation,” Stijović said.

The fact that the documents were destroyed means that the opening of the DB files, which the public has been demanding for over eight years, has now become pointless.