Serbian ambassador to Turkey dismissed

BELGRADE Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivan Mrkic has dismissed Dusan Spasojevic from the position of the Serbian ambassador in Turkey, Tanjug is reporting. The news agency said that the diplomat had "violated the Law on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs whereby ambassadors are banned from issuing statements for the Serbian media." Serbian ambassador to Turkey dismissed "Spasojevic had already been dismissed several months ago but at his personal request, he was granted the office until the end of June because of his family obligations," the news agency further said. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Spasojevic commented on the events in Turkey in an interview for the Serbian media in the past days, "and he continued doing so although he was warned that he is in this way violating the Law on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs." Tanjug also said that he was notified about the dismissal on Wednesday. B92 has unofficially learned that the reason for the ambassador's dismissal was the statements he made for RTS and B92, when he described the situation in Turkey amid the ongoing protests, and provided information about the Serbian citizens in that country. Asked for a reaction to the reports about his removal from the post, Spasojevic said he did not wish to make any comments until he had been officially notified of the decision. However, he added that according to valid MFA regulations, brought by Mrkic, he was within his right and under obligation to make statements in case of an emergency situation, and where it concerned the safety of the Serbian citizens abroad. Posting on his Twitter account, Spasojevic denied that he was dismissed "several months ago, but stayed in the post longer on personal request, and for family reasons." The ambassador said that this was not the case. He further said that in his statements made during the previous days, he merely gave unambiguous advice to the Serbian citizens in Turkey to avoid public gatherings. In another tweet, Spasojevic noted that in his statements for the media, he at no point expressed his position on the events in Turkey - that is, that he was "at no point reporting about the events." B92 Tanjug

Serbian ambassador to Turkey dismissed

"Spasojević had already been dismissed several months ago but at his personal request, he was granted the office until the end of June because of his family obligations," the news agency further said.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Spasojević commented on the events in Turkey in an interview for the Serbian media in the past days, "and he continued doing so although he was warned that he is in this way violating the Law on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."

Tanjug also said that he was notified about the dismissal on Wednesday.

B92 has unofficially learned that the reason for the ambassador's dismissal was the statements he made for RTS and B92, when he described the situation in Turkey amid the ongoing protests, and provided information about the Serbian citizens in that country.

Asked for a reaction to the reports about his removal from the post, Spasojević said he did not wish to make any comments until he had been officially notified of the decision. However, he added that according to valid MFA regulations, brought by Mrkić, he was within his right and under obligation to make statements in case of an emergency situation, and where it concerned the safety of the Serbian citizens abroad.

Posting on his Twitter account, Spasojević denied that he was dismissed "several months ago, but stayed in the post longer on personal request, and for family reasons."

The ambassador said that this was not the case.

He further said that in his statements made during the previous days, he merely gave unambiguous advice to the Serbian citizens in Turkey to avoid public gatherings.

In another tweet, Spasojević noted that in his statements for the media, he at no point expressed his position on the events in Turkey - that is, that he was "at no point reporting about the events."