The trial of the defendants in the "General Staff" case continues

The trial at the High Court in Belgrade regarding the “General Staff” case continues today.

The defendants include Minister of Culture Nikola Selaković, Ministry of Culture Secretary Slavica Jelača, acting director of the Republic Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments Goran Vasić, and acting director of the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments of the City of Belgrade Aleksandar Ivanović.

A large police presence is deployed for security, along with a significant number of media crews. Reports also say that a smaller group of protesters gathered in front of the courthouse.

Today’s hearing, scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., is expected to see the defendants present their defense, while at the previous hearing their lawyers delivered opening statements.

At the earlier session on February 4, the defendants stated that they formally understood the indictment but did not comprehend its substance and denied guilt.

After the prosecutor read the indictment, defense attorney Dragan Palibrk requested that the court dismiss the charges.

The accused are charged with two criminal offenses: abuse of official position and falsification of official documents in connection with the removal of protected cultural status from the “General Staff” buildings.

Nikola Selaković was previously questioned on December 4 last year at the Public Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime, after which he stated that the case represented politically fabricated claims.

His lawyer Vladimir Djukanović later said he had requested the prosecution to drop the case, arguing that a new law passed by the parliament invalidated the 2005 decision declaring the “General Staff” building a cultural monument.