Attorney: Phone Tapping Scandal Is a Farce Showing Judiciary is Controlled by the Regime

Attorney Borivoje Borovic

Attorney Borivoje Borovic on Jan. 4 described phone tapping of President Aleksandar Vucic as “a farce showing that the judiciary is controlled by the executive branch.”

Speaking to Belgrade daily Danas a year since the affair had been made public, Borovic said he doubted the Serbian president’s claims that those responsible for tapping would be held accountable shortly.

“As far as we know, no one has been arrested for this serious criminal offense which is a precondition for announcing an indictment. Based on earlier statements by politicians, it can be concluded that those were legal measures applied by investigative bodies on certain persons from criminal groups, while the Serbian president ‘was caught’ in those measures,” Borovic noted.

The attorney described the affair as “a farce” as otherwise it would have to result in “the downfall of at least one minister, and possibly the entire cabinet.” Borovic described Vucic’s announcements of investigations and indictments as “an unprecedented method” of a president’s interference into the work of courts.

“He has been announcing investigations and indictments, glorifying polygraphs the results of which are not admitted as evidence in court and protecting the persons accused of serious criminal offenses,” Borovic stressed. He added that no prosecutor or judge “can make a single important decision without an order or at least the support of the executive branch.”