The Appellate Court in Belgrade upheld the ruling of the Higher Court in Smederevo and sentenced both Uroš Blažić and his father Radiša Blažić to the maximum prison terms of 20 years each.
Given that Uroš Blažić had not yet turned 21 at the time of committing the crime, under the Criminal Code he could not be sentenced to life imprisonment, as younger adults cannot receive that maximum penalty.
The Higher Court in Smederevo convicted him on December 12, 2024, of aggravated murder, illegal production, possession, carrying and trafficking of weapons and explosive materials, kidnapping, and unauthorized use of another person’s vehicle.
In the same ruling, his father Radiša Blažić was also sentenced to 20 years in prison for illegal production, possession, carrying and trafficking of weapons and explosive materials, as well as a serious offense against public safety.
The verdict established that the father had procured a large quantity of weapons and ammunition, which his son later used to carry out the mass killing.
When publicly announcing the first-instance verdict, the judge stated that it had been unequivocally established that Uroš committed the crimes he was charged with, but emphasized that he could not be sentenced to life imprisonment because he had not yet turned 21 at the time of the offense, which is required under the law for such a sentence.
“The sentence imposed is neither fair nor adequate nor proportionate to a crime in which nine people were killed,” the judge said at the time.
Regarding Radiša Blažić, the judge noted that numerous pieces of evidence presented during the proceedings pointed to his guilt, despite his denial—specifically that he had acquired the weapons, ammunition, and explosives later used by his son.
Uroš Blažić was found guilty of shooting at three locations on the evening of May 4, 2023, killing nine people and injuring 12 others.
In Malo Orašje, Marko Mitrović died at the scene after sustaining five injuries, while Nemanja Stevanović, Lazar Milovanović, Petar Mitrović, and minors Nikola Milić and Aleksandar Milovanović later died in hospital from their injuries.
Blažić wounded several individuals, while in Dubona he killed Milan Panić and Kristina Panić at the scene, and Dalibor Todorović later died in hospital.
He then fled the scene in his vehicle, unlawfully entered another car parked in a yard, and drove to a toll station, where he entered a taxi carrying Jelena Aljdinović and driver Dragoslav Antonović.
Aljdinović told him she was pregnant, and they drove her to her destination, while he threatened the driver with a bomb and ordered him to take him to the village of Vinjište, where he was eventually arrested.
In addition to Uroš and Radiša Blažić, his uncle and cousin, Goran and Boris Gavrilović, were also tried in Kragujevac for weapons found during the arrest. The Appellate Court in Kragujevac acquitted Goran Gavrilović, while his son Boris Gavrilović was sentenced to one and a half years in prison.
The Government of Serbia decided on September 19, 2024, to designate May 3 and 4 as Days of Remembrance for the victims of the mass killings that occurred at Vladislav Ribnikar Elementary School in Belgrade, as well as in Malo Orašje and Dubona, with these days to be commemorated annually.
In primary and secondary schools across Serbia, the Week of Remembrance and Togetherness is being observed from today until May 8.
The memorial tournament ‘Live On’ is being held today at the Ravni Gaj stadium in Malo Orašje in honor of the nine people tragically killed in the May 4, 2023 massacre in Malo Orašje and Dubona
According to the organizers, the remembrance program begins at 11:00 a.m., while matches start at 12:00 p.m.
“This event brings together the local community, friends, numerous football legends, as well as guests from the worlds of sport and culture, to pay tribute through sport, unity, and a positive spirit to those who are no longer with us, but who live on forever in our hearts,” the organizers stated.
The tournament is jointly organized by the victims’ parents, the football club Ravni Gaj, and the Angelina Foundation.
As announced, the memorial tournament will also be supported by the General Secretary of the Football Association of Serbia Branko Radujko, the President of the Football Association of Belgrade Nikola Lazetić, the Vice President for Sports Affairs of FC Partizan Predrag Mijatović, as well as the President of FC Red Star Svetozar Mijailović.
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