8 arrested for series of arsons in southern town

VRANJE Eight persons suspected of a series of car arsons and other incidents were arrested in the southern town of Vranje on Friday, RTS has reported. A Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) councilor is among the arrested persons. 8 arrested for series of arsons in southern town RTS has learnt that the police detained SNS councilor in the Vranje town assembly Milos Mladenovic aka Zaba, famous kick boxer Milos Popovic aka Pakman, Milos Andjelkovic aka Andjel, Milos Cvetkovic aka Banjurac, Velimir Vukoslavovic, Bozidar Stojanovic and Dejan Nikolic aka Kantar. The police have stated that the eighth person was released and that the operation will last around ten days. “These persons have committed several criminal acts. It is not known at the moment whether those who gave orders are among the arrested men, bearing in mind that the operation is not over yet,” Vranje Mayor Zoran Antic said on Friday. He added that this was an organized gang and that it was therefore necessary for the Gendarmerie and police to organize the operation together. The mayor confirmed that the SNS councilor was among the arrested people. Vranje-based weekly Novine Vranjske Deputy Editor in Chief Nikola Lazic told B92 that town and police officials did not want to address local reporters after the arrest but that he had unofficially learnt that the arrested group was close to Mladenovic who was arrested in November on suspicion of being involved in the torching of a Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) councilor’s car. Mladenovic resigned as the town councilor on Thursday. After SPS councilor Branimir Stojancic’s car was destroyed in a fire, Mladenovic was arrested and questioned in the Municipal Court on November 11 and then released pending trial. Vranje Deputy Mayor and SNS official Bojana Velickov has also confirmed that Mladenovic was arrested on Friday. “He has resigned (as a town councilor) but he is still an SNS member. If proven guilty, he will be expelled from the party. The SNS’ position is that any guilty person, regardless of their position, needs to be held accountable for their actions. The investigation will determine the facts and we will know what to do after that,” she explained. Local businessman Sladjan Bogatinovic’s car was set on fire on November 13 in Vranje, which was the 17th case of car arson in the town. Just days before the incident, a car of local businessman Mita R. was set on fire in a similar manner. Mita R. was earlier arrested together with four police officers who were suspected of abuse of office. According to the Vranje police report, two dozen cars, restaurants, night clubs and houses have been set on fire in Vranje since 2008. Bora Stankovic theater was completely destroyed in a fire that was set to a nearby night club on July 2, 2012. A local restaurant was blown up in 2009 and a house of a local entrepreneur, Velimir Vukoslavovic, was also destroyed in an arson fire. He claims that he gave the police names of people he suspected were responsible for the fire because they had been threatening him but that the police protected them. Antic has said that local arsonists do not even bother to hide and that those who get arrested are soon released by the police. B92 has previously tried to ask Vranje Police Administration Chief Sladjan Velinovic about the arson cases in the town but the Serbian police (MUP) did not allow him to make any statements. One of the burned cars (B92, file) B92 Beta RTS Tanjug

8 arrested for series of arsons in southern town

RTS has learnt that the police detained SNS councilor in the Vranje town assembly Miloš Mladenović aka Žaba, famous kick boxer Miloš Popović aka Pakman, Miloš Anđelković aka Anđel, Miloš Cvetković aka Banjurac, Velimir Vukoslavović, Božidar Stojanović and Dejan Nikolić aka Kantar.

The police have stated that the eighth person was released and that the operation will last around ten days.

“These persons have committed several criminal acts. It is not known at the moment whether those who gave orders are among the arrested men, bearing in mind that the operation is not over yet,” Vranje Mayor Zoran Antić said on Friday.

He added that this was an organized gang and that it was therefore necessary for the Gendarmerie and police to organize the operation together.

The mayor confirmed that the SNS councilor was among the arrested people.

Vranje-based weekly Novine Vranjske Deputy Editor in Chief Nikola Lazić told B92 that town and police officials did not want to address local reporters after the arrest but that he had unofficially learnt that the arrested group was close to Mladenović who was arrested in November on suspicion of being involved in the torching of a Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) councilor’s car.

Mladenović resigned as the town councilor on Thursday. After SPS councilor Branimir Stojančić’s car was destroyed in a fire, Mladenović was arrested and questioned in the Municipal Court on November 11 and then released pending trial.

Vranje Deputy Mayor and SNS official Bojana Veličkov has also confirmed that Mladenović was arrested on Friday.

“He has resigned (as a town councilor) but he is still an SNS member. If proven guilty, he will be expelled from the party. The SNS’ position is that any guilty person, regardless of their position, needs to be held accountable for their actions. The investigation will determine the facts and we will know what to do after that,” she explained.

Local businessman Slađan Bogatinović’s car was set on fire on November 13 in Vranje, which was the 17th case of car arson in the town.

Just days before the incident, a car of local businessman Mita R. was set on fire in a similar manner. Mita R. was earlier arrested together with four police officers who were suspected of abuse of office.

According to the Vranje police report, two dozen cars, restaurants, night clubs and houses have been set on fire in Vranje since 2008.

Bora Stanković theater was completely destroyed in a fire that was set to a nearby night club on July 2, 2012.

A local restaurant was blown up in 2009 and a house of a local entrepreneur, Velimir Vukoslavović, was also destroyed in an arson fire. He claims that he gave the police names of people he suspected were responsible for the fire because they had been threatening him but that the police protected them.

Antić has said that local arsonists do not even bother to hide and that those who get arrested are soon released by the police.

B92 has previously tried to ask Vranje Police Administration Chief Slađan Velinović about the arson cases in the town but the Serbian police (MUP) did not allow him to make any statements.