Interior minister: Vucic takes and passes polygraph test

Interior minister: Vucic takes and passes polygraph test

He said that Vucic voluntarily underwent the lie detector test in order to respond to allegations from the Belgrade-based tabloid Kurir that he and his brother Andrej Vucic, along with Dragan Vucicevic, editor-in-chief of another tabloid, Informer, and that paper's Director Damir Dragic, "tried to persuade former Director of Kurir Aleksandar Kornic to falsely accuse the owner of Kurir, Aleksandar Rodic."

"Aleksandar Vucic voluntarily answered the questions and answered all with a 'no' while the lie detector test showed he was telling the truth. Aleksandar Vucic never met Kornic, not sat with him anywhere, let alone in a cafe," Stefanovic said.

Stefanovic said that because of the accusations presented in the newspaper Vucic was asked whether he ever saw Aleksandar Kornic, whether he ever met him, and whether he ever offered Kornic money, a party role, or anything else in exchange for a false statement.

Stefanovic said that the polygraph device showed Vucic's negative response to all these questions proved he spoke the truth.

The minister said it was "obvious that the lies (about Vucic) were intended to destabilize the country" and that an investigation will be launched about "who and with what objective put forward such information."

The Serbian Prosecution, meanwhile, said it would, in cooperation with other state bodies, "prevent destabilization of the country by initiating appropriate criminal proceedings."

Aleksandar Kornic also showed up at the police to be questioned but refused a polygraph test, said Stefanovic.

Stefanovic also said key proof the affair was fabricated was that "the person referred to as 'Branko' in a video clip published by Kurir on their website reported to the police and has nothing to do with the case."

The "Branko" in the video "explains Kornic's allegations and is said to be the liaison between him and the others," Stefanovic said, adding that "it turned out 'Branko' does not exist."

Speaking for the Belgrade-based TV Pink broadcaster, he said "the man from the image" had shown up at the police station in Rakovica and that his name was in fact Sasa Obradovic - "a family man who has nothing to do with the case or any of the mentioned people."

The reason Obradovic reported to the police, said the minister, is that he "does not want to be connected to this story."

The editorial staff of Kurir said, regarding the statement of the interior minister, said that this paper "did not accuse Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic of extortion, but carried the allegations from the criminal charges filed against editor-in-chief of Informer Dragan J. Vucicevic and Informer Director Damir Dragic."

Stefanovic also confirmed that the police had arrested S.M. - "a former member of the MUP, a member of the Bar crime group who was caught eight times in the driveway of th Vucic family home."

Stefanovic said that security of the prime minister "and all government officials who might be affected" would be "maximally increased."

SPS support

Reacting to Kurir's allegations that Vucic took part in blackmailing and extortion against Kurir's director Aleksandar Kornic, the Socialists (SPS) said they would "continue to provide their full contribution to the stability of Serbia by taking an active part in the Serbian government, and by supporting the cabinet and the prime minister."

The SPS, led by Ivica Dacic, is a coalition parter to Vucic's SNS in Serbia's current government.

The party said on Sunday it "firmly supports the Serbian government led by Aleksandar Vucic, which had achieved considerable results of key importance to the future of Serbia in just a short time," and that "the fight against efforts to destabilize the country required the absolute unity of all government institutions and key political actors," Beta reported.