No official search for fugitive student

Serbian institutions have yet to receive any official information from the U.S. regarding the case of Miladin Kovacevic. The Serbian national is suspected of brutally assaulting a fellow student Bryan Steinhauer on May 4 in the United States. No official search for fugitive student State Prosecutor Slobodan Radovanovic told B92 that Serbia will do everything it can to solve the case once it receives an official request. Radovanovic said that the only information he has about the case has been through the media. “The American institutions can rest assured that Serbia will do everything within its legal possibilities to sanction this and to make sure that possible perpetrators of such act are not left unpunished." "On the other hand, I must say that we are still waiting for an official demand and official information, and we will act according to that,” Radovanovic said. In the meantime, the government yesterday, in connection to the case, dismissed the New York consul-general, Slobodan Nenadovic. Kovacevic was issued a new passport by the consulate, even though a U.S. court was did not allow him to leave the country. The student Kovacevic is accused of assaulting is currently in a coma. Kovacevic has put into custody after the event, but released on June 5 on USD 100,000 bail. Serbian vice-consul Igor Milosevic issued the suspect a new passport after the original one was confiscated, which allowed Kovacevic to flee America. Disciplinary actions will be taken against the vice-consul, but Radovanovic said today that the diplomat might face criminal charges as well. Earlier today, a Kovacevic family lawyer said the case has a political dimension. "This case is above all a legal issue that is now under the jurisdiction of Serbian law. The law on criminal proceedings categorically rules out extradition of a Serbian citizen to a foreign country during criminal proceedings if the citizen is on Serbian territory,” Veselin Cerovic told FoNet. The lawyer believes that the case is becoming more and more political thanks to the sensationalist approach to the case in certain domestic and foreign media, and by statements coming from “certain American senators in attempt to promote themselves.” "Everything is absolutely clear in this case. Any type of questioning of Kovacevic, who is a Serbian citizen, should be conducted by the domestic judiciary, once all the relevant and valid documents have been received from U.S. officials,” Cerovic said, adding that everything should be carried out in accordance with Serbian law. He said that Kovacevic had been released from custody by the U.S. authorities, after paying the bail. "When that decision was made, the court adequately estimated the possible real damage that might be incurred in the event of Kovacevic leaving the United States, and thus becoming unavailable to the U.S. judicial system,” Cerovic explained. He did not want to comment on how Kovacevic had managed to leave the United States or on whose passport Kovacevic had used, stating only that he would talk about it at a press conference scheduled for tomorrow. According to the U.S. media, Kovacevic’s family pressured Serbian vice-consul Igor Milosevic into issuing him a new passport, thus enabling Kovacevic to return to Serbia. On Monday, U.S. Ambassador to Belgrade Cameron Munter called on the Serbian authorities to react, and return Kovacevic to the United States to face trial.

No official search for fugitive student

State Prosecutor Slobodan Radovanović told B92 that Serbia will do everything it can to solve the case once it receives an official request.

Radovanović said that the only information he has about the case has been through the media.

“The American institutions can rest assured that Serbia will do everything within its legal possibilities to sanction this and to make sure that possible perpetrators of such act are not left unpunished."

"On the other hand, I must say that we are still waiting for an official demand and official information, and we will act according to that,” Radovanović said.

In the meantime, the government yesterday, in connection to the case, dismissed the New York consul-general, Slobodan Nenadović.

Kovačević was issued a new passport by the consulate, even though a U.S. court was did not allow him to leave the country.

The student Kovačević is accused of assaulting is currently in a coma.

Kovačević has put into custody after the event, but released on June 5 on USD 100,000 bail.

Serbian vice-consul Igor Milošević issued the suspect a new passport after the original one was confiscated, which allowed Kovačević to flee America.

Disciplinary actions will be taken against the vice-consul, but Radovanović said today that the diplomat might face criminal charges as well.

Earlier today, a Kovačević family lawyer said the case has a political dimension.

"This case is above all a legal issue that is now under the jurisdiction of Serbian law. The law on criminal proceedings categorically rules out extradition of a Serbian citizen to a foreign country during criminal proceedings if the citizen is on Serbian territory,” Veselin Cerović told FoNet.

The lawyer believes that the case is becoming more and more political thanks to the sensationalist approach to the case in certain domestic and foreign media, and by statements coming from “certain American senators in attempt to promote themselves.”

"Everything is absolutely clear in this case. Any type of questioning of Kovačević, who is a Serbian citizen, should be conducted by the domestic judiciary, once all the relevant and valid documents have been received from U.S. officials,” Cerović said, adding that everything should be carried out in accordance with Serbian law.

He said that Kovačević had been released from custody by the U.S. authorities, after paying the bail.

"When that decision was made, the court adequately estimated the possible real damage that might be incurred in the event of Kovačević leaving the United States, and thus becoming unavailable to the U.S. judicial system,” Cerović explained.

He did not want to comment on how Kovačević had managed to leave the United States or on whose passport Kovačević had used, stating only that he would talk about it at a press conference scheduled for tomorrow.

According to the U.S. media, Kovačević’s family pressured Serbian vice-consul Igor Milošević into issuing him a new passport, thus enabling Kovačević to return to Serbia.

On Monday, U.S. Ambassador to Belgrade Cameron Munter called on the Serbian authorities to react, and return Kovačević to the United States to face trial.