Deputy PM reacts to ex-president’s allegations

BELGRADE First Deputy PM Aleksandar Vucic has responded to ex-President Boris Tadic’s allegations regarding ties between certain officials and members of a drug gang. He said that a “key question” for the former president was where member of drug lord Darko Saric’s gang Rodoljub Radulovic aka Misa Banana was today. Deputy PM reacts to ex-president’s allegations Vucic held a press conference in Belgrade on Wednesday and noted that the prosecution’s request to look into ties between the state officials and members of the gang was an indictor that institutions in Serbia were serious. He did not want to comment on Tadic’s allegations about who controlled certain newspapers and reacted to his statement with a series of questions. Vucic asked the former president where Radulovic was now, since state institutions did not know. “We have no information about how he escaped, a warrant for his arrest was issued on March 1, 2011 and he is out of reach now. Are Vucic and this government to blame for that? It is fair to say that there were also individuals such as (former coordinator of intelligence services and current opposition Democratic Party deputy leader) Miodrag Rakic who put themselves on the line,” he stressed. According to him, the Interpol’s warrant for Radulovic’s arrest was issued on March 1, 2011 and it expires in 2016. The first deputy PM asked Tadic who had known about Radulovic’s whereabouts, why he was not arrested when it was possible and what the state institutions were doing at the time. “That is why I am asking Tadic a political question, how the institutions fought against corruption when there was not a single serious case,” he stressed and reiterated that there had been only three cases the new govermnment had been formed and that between 30 and 40 cases were being investigated at the moment. Vucic announced that he would prove in the next several days that combat against corruption was not selective. The first deputy PM said that the state institutions were for the first time stronger than any individual and that Serbian citizens therefore did not have to worry about results of the combat against corruption and a political crisis the country was in. “Nobody will think ever again that things can be covered up or that politicians can influence courts, prosecutions… This is important for Serbia’s future,” he underscored. The deputy prime minister also commented on the former president’s statement regarding the influence on the media. “Are (dailies) Blic and Informer papers that the government has influence on and everybody knows that one of those two papers are influenced precisely by the DS,” he said and added that he did not interfere with media’s editorial policy. Vucic noted that he was not investigating how information about the Saric case had been leaked to the media. “The Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) does not need a special control package in the security services like Tadic did because the institutions will do their job,” he told the press conference. The deputy PM pointed out that he had information about what Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and Radulovic had talked about but that he could not reveal any details. He said that the latest events in the Saric case would not affect the talks on Kosovo and the EU in Brussels. Vucic said that Saric would have a fair trial in Serbia but that “there will be no agreements, deals and avoiding facing the justice”. He underscored that the authorities had known where the runaway drug lord was at one point but that he had been tipped off on numerous occasions. Tadic told FoNet news agency that he, as the president and head of the Council for National Security, had known about Dacic’s contacts with members of Saric’s gang but that he had never been informed that the current PM was being investigated. Dacic admitted he met with Radulovic in 2008 but pointed out that he had not known that he was a criminal. Aleksandar Vucic (Tanjug) Early elections possible, Vucic says Vucic said he would not rule out the possibility of early parliamentary elections but that he hoped they would not happen. "The question being posed to me right now is whether this government will be around for a while or not. If institutions are able to work, then it is important we do not tamper with the date for accession talks with the EU or with attracting investments. If this is not possible, we can have new elections and form a new parliamentary majority," he underscored. Asked whether parliamentary elections might be called after Serbia gets a date for accession talks, Vucic said it would be nice if Serbia got the date. He underlined it was the duty of the current government to do everything for the welfare of the people and it was a coincidence that the rating of his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) was soaring right now. "If we had elections now, we would win big," the deputy PM said. Vucic noted that the important thing was strengthening institutions in Serbia, adding that this was taking place and that even those who disliked the incumbent government had to admit it. "Everything happening in Serbia is difficult and unpleasant, but things are being dealt with once and for all," said the first deputy prime minister. Vucic stressed that Germany or Finland, for instance, had far less corruption, because they had a system in place. "We are building the system right now," he concluded. B92 Tanjug

Deputy PM reacts to ex-president’s allegations

Vučić held a press conference in Belgrade on Wednesday and noted that the prosecution’s request to look into ties between the state officials and members of the gang was an indictor that institutions in Serbia were serious.

He did not want to comment on Tadić’s allegations about who controlled certain newspapers and reacted to his statement with a series of questions.

Vučić asked the former president where Radulović was now, since state institutions did not know.

“We have no information about how he escaped, a warrant for his arrest was issued on March 1, 2011 and he is out of reach now. Are Vučić and this government to blame for that? It is fair to say that there were also individuals such as (former coordinator of intelligence services and current opposition Democratic Party deputy leader) Miodrag Rakić who put themselves on the line,” he stressed.

According to him, the Interpol’s warrant for Radulović’s arrest was issued on March 1, 2011 and it expires in 2016.

The first deputy PM asked Tadić who had known about Radulović’s whereabouts, why he was not arrested when it was possible and what the state institutions were doing at the time.

“That is why I am asking Tadić a political question, how the institutions fought against corruption when there was not a single serious case,” he stressed and reiterated that there had been only three cases the new govermnment had been formed and that between 30 and 40 cases were being investigated at the moment.

Vučić announced that he would prove in the next several days that combat against corruption was not selective.

The first deputy PM said that the state institutions were for the first time stronger than any individual and that Serbian citizens therefore did not have to worry about results of the combat against corruption and a political crisis the country was in.

“Nobody will think ever again that things can be covered up or that politicians can influence courts, prosecutions… This is important for Serbia’s future,” he underscored.

The deputy prime minister also commented on the former president’s statement regarding the influence on the media.

“Are (dailies) Blic and Informer papers that the government has influence on and everybody knows that one of those two papers are influenced precisely by the DS,” he said and added that he did not interfere with media’s editorial policy.

Vučić noted that he was not investigating how information about the Šarić case had been leaked to the media.

“The Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) does not need a special control package in the security services like Tadić did because the institutions will do their job,” he told the press conference.

The deputy PM pointed out that he had information about what Prime Minister Ivica Dačić and Radulović had talked about but that he could not reveal any details.

He said that the latest events in the Šarić case would not affect the talks on Kosovo and the EU in Brussels.

Vučić said that Šarić would have a fair trial in Serbia but that “there will be no agreements, deals and avoiding facing the justice”.

He underscored that the authorities had known where the runaway drug lord was at one point but that he had been tipped off on numerous occasions.

Tadić told FoNet news agency that he, as the president and head of the Council for National Security, had known about Dačić’s contacts with members of Šarić’s gang but that he had never been informed that the current PM was being investigated.

Dačić admitted he met with Radulović in 2008 but pointed out that he had not known that he was a criminal.

Early elections possible, Vučić says

Vučić said he would not rule out the possibility of early parliamentary elections but that he hoped they would not happen.

"The question being posed to me right now is whether this government will be around for a while or not. If institutions are able to work, then it is important we do not tamper with the date for accession talks with the EU or with attracting investments. If this is not possible, we can have new elections and form a new parliamentary majority," he underscored.

Asked whether parliamentary elections might be called after Serbia gets a date for accession talks, Vučić said it would be nice if Serbia got the date.

He underlined it was the duty of the current government to do everything for the welfare of the people and it was a coincidence that the rating of his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) was soaring right now.

"If we had elections now, we would win big," the deputy PM said.

Vučić noted that the important thing was strengthening institutions in Serbia, adding that this was taking place and that even those who disliked the incumbent government had to admit it.

"Everything happening in Serbia is difficult and unpleasant, but things are being dealt with once and for all," said the first deputy prime minister.

Vučić stressed that Germany or Finland, for instance, had far less corruption, because they had a system in place.

"We are building the system right now," he concluded.