Kovačević in surprise visit to parliament

Miladin Kovacevic, who is on trial in Serbia for inflicting grievous bodily harm on a colleague, visited parliament today, accompanied by Radical MPs. Asked why he had come to parliament and whether he had done so at the invitation of the Serb Radical Party (SRS), Kovacevic said that he had come at the “invitation of a friend“. Kovacevic in surprise visit to parliament “I’ve received support from everyone at local level, even the Democratic Party. As a citizen of Serbia, I am entitled to have access like any other citizen, I’m just availing myself of that opportunity. Because I feel safe in my own country, I’ve come to see how parliament works,“ Kovacevic told journalists. “I don’t know why so much fuss is being created over this, I came to thank everyone who had supported me, my family and my friends, for everything that has happened this past year,” Kovacevic said. He added that his visit to parliament should not be linked with any one party, adding that he had come “to thank many people, regardless of what party they are from.” Kovacevic said that he would definitely not be returning to America, and did not want to comment on his ongoing trial. Asked if he would join the Serb Radical Party, he said that he was not thinking of getting involved in politics for the time being. He also said that he was pleased with the way the Serbian media had been covering his case. “When you look at the facts without any media connotations, you get the real picture,” he said. Kovacevic made his statement in front of parliament, because the police would not let him speak to journalists inside. He is accused of assaulting a fellow student on May 4, 2008 at the New York state university he was attending at the time. Kovacevic was able to leave the U.S. after his parents paid his bail, and the Serbian consulate in New York issued him a temporary passport to leave the country. He was arrested on October 28 in Serbia along with the former Serbian general consul in New York, Slobodan Nenadovic, who was released from custody 16 days later. Kovacevic is also accused of inciting abuse of position in asking for a new passport after the U.S. authorities revoked his, in order to prohibit him from leaving the country. He will be tried at the Belgrade District Court. He was released from custody on December 19, 2008 and is awaiting trial. Miladin Kovacevic (Tanjug, archive)

Kovačević in surprise visit to parliament

“I’ve received support from everyone at local level, even the Democratic Party. As a citizen of Serbia, I am entitled to have access like any other citizen, I’m just availing myself of that opportunity. Because I feel safe in my own country, I’ve come to see how parliament works,“ Kovačević told journalists.

“I don’t know why so much fuss is being created over this, I came to thank everyone who had supported me, my family and my friends, for everything that has happened this past year,” Kovačević said.

He added that his visit to parliament should not be linked with any one party, adding that he had come “to thank many people, regardless of what party they are from.”

Kovačević said that he would definitely not be returning to America, and did not want to comment on his ongoing trial.

Asked if he would join the Serb Radical Party, he said that he was not thinking of getting involved in politics for the time being.

He also said that he was pleased with the way the Serbian media had been covering his case.

“When you look at the facts without any media connotations, you get the real picture,” he said.

Kovačević made his statement in front of parliament, because the police would not let him speak to journalists inside.

He is accused of assaulting a fellow student on May 4, 2008 at the New York state university he was attending at the time.

Kovačević was able to leave the U.S. after his parents paid his bail, and the Serbian consulate in New York issued him a temporary passport to leave the country.

He was arrested on October 28 in Serbia along with the former Serbian general consul in New York, Slobodan Nenadović, who was released from custody 16 days later.

Kovačević is also accused of inciting abuse of position in asking for a new passport after the U.S. authorities revoked his, in order to prohibit him from leaving the country.

He will be tried at the Belgrade District Court. He was released from custody on December 19, 2008 and is awaiting trial.